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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap Copyright No. 

Shelf _ii.3_. Ft 
-+900 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



For State and Church 



..BY.. 

/ 

M. A. WINGARD 




1 



81799 



Library of Congress 

Two Copies Received 
NOV 28 1900 

j. Copyright entry 

SECOND COPY 

Oeliv»r©d to 

ORDER DIVISION 
DEC 13 1SQ0 



x c,oO 



Copyrighted, 1900, by E. A. Wingard 



<> 



i 



FOR STATE 



A Crimson Christmastide 

A TALE OF NEGRO LYNCHING 
AND 

*£ A Race Problem & 



<& 



To 

Rev. S. P. Hughes, 

Friend and Companion of my Cou,ege Days, 

I Dedicate This Poem 

as A 

Pleasant Memento of Youthful Association, 

and A 

Grateful Testimonial for Aid 

in Its Production 



PREFACE 

I send forth this little volume in the earn- 
est hope that good may be wrought by it. In 
our present complex condition it is difficult 
to indicate a remedy for the troubles nar- 
rated in the story. 

The presence of the Negro race holds a 
twofold menace for the South. To live 
apart politically on the same level will ever 
be a fruitful source of race conflicts. To 
mingle socially will mean, in the distant 
future, amalgamation. The North can 
neither realize nor sympathize in the tremen- 
dous meaning of such problems; for the 
Negro race is so few in numbers within her 
borders that their absorption politically and 
socially would be attended by no radical 
changes. 

The South, under the present status, must 
choose either a continually widening race 
antagonism, with all which that means, or a 
fusion of races, which will have all those 
contingencies of social and civil life so pain- 
fully manifested in some of the West India 
and Central American Republics of to-day. 

The remedy for both lies in a great meas- 



10 FOR STATE 

ure either in a clear cut limitation of suffrage 
and a comparative withdrawal of the race 
from politics, or in their removal to the land 
of their fathers. The accomplishment of 
either can only be brought about by wise 
national legislation. 

Two ways lie open before our people. 
Either we may shut our eyes to passing 
events, and sleep until the storm breaks in 
all its fury, thinking to meet its mighty rage 
with our own strength ; or we may wisely in- 
quire of God what is His will, and strive to 
doit. 

One thing is certain. The Most High is 
Governor among the nations, and the whole 
earth belongs to Him. He divides to the 
nations their inheritance, He has marked the 
destinies and the boundaries of the children 
of Ham. He has established their homes 
where He wills. There, will even Anglo- 
Saxon power reach its "Ultima Thule." 
May He make His will plain unto us, lest we 
strive against God. %. a. w. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 

A NEGRO LYNCHING 

I wish to tell you of a man, 

Whose life and home were under ban — 

Fit subject for the stake and rack, 

Because the Lord had made him black ; 

And few men dare to call it guilt, 

When negro blood is wrongly spilt. 

It was not so in days of old, 

When he, like beast, was bought and sold- 

When herded up like common stock, 

He met the fortunes of the block ; 

For though he was the white man's slave, 

He yet might hope a quiet grave ; 

To take his life was then a sin, 

The law would guard his dusky skin ; 

His death hurts now no master's purse, 

And freedom's gift becomes his curse. 



How strange that those who made him free, 
Nor gave a groat our loss to pay, 

Seem not to care if such things be, 
And will not bid this evil stay. 



12 FOR STATE 

The blood of war had scarcely dried 
Above the graves of those who fell, 

When negro rule by force was tried, 
And bitter wrongs the South befell. 

A race of slaves, freed in a day, 

Were placed to rule the fairest land 

God ever made, with brutal sway, 
And over Anglo-Saxons stand. 

What wonder that our hearts were fire, 
Or that with wrath we lived aflame, 

And smote at times with senseless ire 
The helpless puppets of our shame ! 

Or that stern men so understood, 
That it was retribution just, 

To drown their wrongs in negro blood, 
And dull their pain in murd'rous lust. 



Then, as the crown of all our woes, 

A deeper, darker crime arose ; 

When men who thought that freedom gave 

The right to have what each might crave, 

Gave vent to lusts long fed by sin, 

Which freed from fear burst from within ; 

And that damned deed, whose lep'rous touch 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 13 

Ne'er lets the victim from its clutch, 
Came like a plague whose fatal breath 
Sweeps by and leaves a trail of death. 
Ah ! God forgive, what human heart 
Could tamely bear such painful smart? 
Nor reck it strange that men should turn 
On demons black to kill and burn. 

A little rift will wider grow, 

Till through the rushing waters flow, 

And dykes we thought our homes would 

guard, 
Cannot the swelling flood retard — 
A wrong redressed by lawless means, 
Not full of danger often seems ; 
But through that breach, however small, 
May come the strongest nation's fall ; 
And neither power nor prayer can stay 
The mob which sweeps all law away, 
Before they devastate the land 
With hellish hate and blood-red hand, 
And kill and burn with rope and fire 
For but a breath which stirs their ire. 
Ah ! Southern land, how sad thy lot 
Thine own sweet chastity forgot — 
That woman's wrongs avenged may be, 
Thy children turn and ravish thee ; 
While justice, bound by vengeful hate, 
Looks helpless on the fallen State. 



14 FOR STATE 

Where lies the fault? what finding just 
Will after years as verdict bring? 

When free from bias, hate and lust, 
The voice of right and truth shall ring. 

The negro race, because desires 

Ran riot in each lustful heart, 
And stirred the smoldering savage fires, 

Till passion's flames would from them 
dart; 

And leaders who could keep them back, 
Raised not a hand to bar their way, 

But urged them on to deeds more black 
And beastly still, from day to day. 

The North, because with cruel haste 

They took the f reedmen of an hour, 
And gave them right to rule and waste 
A conquered land with brutal power. 

They sowed the wind and felt no shame, 
Nor ever thought of aftermath; 

And, when the whirlwind's fury came, 
They left the negro to its wrath. 

And, even now, for them to-day 
They cannot find a servant's place, 

But from their mines will drive away 
The swarthy children of that race. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 15 

The South, because beneath the rod, 

And humbled in the very dust, 
They dared defy the laws of God, 

And cast away their faith and trust; 

And blindly killed with lash and flame 
Some victim guiltless of a crime, 

And left a heritage of shame 

To damn the race in aftertime. — 

I tell this tale with heart full sore 

That North and South their guilt may see ; 

And ponder well the fate in store, 
If they permit such things to be. 



It was the time of Christmas Eve, 

When peace and joy their blessings weave, 

When strife and anger all forgot, 

The Christ-Child brightens human lot. 

The drowsy hush of evening fell 

On glowing hill and shaded dell ; 

The sun, as loath to say good night, 

Still lingered, where the rippling light 

Dashed purple waves across the brim 

Of golden bowl, with jeweled rim. 

A silver gray in eastern skies, 

And clouds ablaze with crimson dyes, 



16 FOR STATK 

Which crowded towards the flaming west 
To see the sun-god sink to rest. 
An humble home on hillside fair, 
Caught all this wealth of beauty rare ; 
A cotter's simple, rough-built nest 
Of logs, which axe had rudely dressed ; 
A chimney made of clay and sticks, 
That well supplied the place of bricks, 
Against the gable end was placed, 
And on each side with poles was braced. 
A simple room, with window small, 
Was kitchen, sleeping room and hall ; 
A single door-way low and wide, 
That entered from the western side; 
Yet this was home, that spot so dear, 
So filled with joy and happy cheer, 
That, though it be but rude and small, 
It seems a paradise for all ; 
And blessed he whose after fate 
Finds not its door a guarded gate. 

How happy were the hours he spent 
Beneath that roof in sweet content, 
When love, with simple, soft caress, 
His daily life of toil would bless; 
When children gay, with jocund mirth, 
Would crowd around the blazing hearth, 
To hear the baby crow with glee, 
And see him ride his father's knee ; 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 17 

While she, dear partner of his life, 
The mother fond, the loving wife, 
Would turn from table to the fire, 
With hands that never seemed to tire, 
And fix their simple evening meal, 
As swiftly by the hours would steal. 
The bacon cut from well smoked flitch 
Hung up in some secluded niche, 
Fried quick to make it crisp and brown, 
This of the supper formed the crown ; 
And at each plate were neatly spread 
Thick slices of the sweet corn-bread, 
And bowls of milk, whose golden skim 
Hung yellow round the brimming rim. 

Such was the simple bill of fare 
Their table at each meal would bear, 
And many a toothsome feast of fish 
Was heaped upon the earthen dish ; 
For in the winding river near, 
In still dark pools and shallows clear, 
Where tangled sunlight played about, 
The greedy jack and lusty trout 
Would rise as whirling bob flew by 
And strike what seemed a red-wing fly. 
So full was nature's rich supply. 
How often in the evening tide 
He fished along the river side, 
Or drifted in his light canoe, 



18 FOR STATE 

Where overhanging branches grew, 
And set-lines all along would place, 
With happy heart and smiling face, 
Assured whene'er he came to look, 
To find a fish caught on some hook. 



Then when the leaves, in autumn brown, 
On each light breeze came tumbling down 
When frosty breath of cool night air 
Had touched with sweetness rich and rare 
The yellow fruit which hung so free 
On each well grown persimmon tree ; 
When fat opossum made his raid 
Beneath the night's protecting shade; 
And yelping cur would find his prey 
Perched on some limb like ball of gray, 
Right soon his master's ear would hark 
The welcome music of his bark ; 
And bring his grinning captive back, 
With merry laugh and unctious smack — 
For well he knew, that baked and brown'd, 
With sweet potatoes piled around, 
It made that famous southern dish 
Which, tasted, one will always wish. 
Then bream, and perch, and cat-fish blue 
Gave many a savory fry and stew ; 
Nor was the pantry ever dry, 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 19 

So field and stream to him would bring 

Their tribute rich, as to a king ; 

And, ruler of his small estate, 

He lived contented with his fate. 

Would that each heart would learn and hold 

The lesson sweet by nature told. 

The loving Father ne'er denies 

To give His creatures rich supplies, 

And in His providence and grace 

Is bounded by no bars of race ; 

Nor lets His needy children lack, 

Because, forsooth, their skins are black. 



Here, too, to draw and hold the eye, 
Were beauties caught from land and sky ; 
There just above a matted frond, 
Which hedges in the "Whistling Pond," 
Above the poplars' lordly crest, 
Where silver gleamings seemed to rest, 
The glorious morning sun would rise, 
And chase the mists in swift surprise ; 
Until, like phantoms of the night, 
They fled before his sword of light, 
And hid in caverns of the air, 
Where clouds their mighty ranges rear. 
There where the river's sinuous banks 
Curved on the west like guarding flanks, 



20 FOR STATK 

The cypress raised their mighty forms, 
Which long had stood the fiercest storms, 
And through their bristling spikes of green 
The sunset's gorgeous dyes were seen. 



Just here, beside the lowly shed, 

A massive live-oak stood outspread, 

Beneath whose cool, refreshing shade 

The little children romped and played ; 

And on a little further still, 

Where rose a low-browed southern hill, 

A clump of dog-wood stood apart, 

With silver rim and golden heart ; 

The jasmine up the stems had climbed 

And all the inner limbs entwined ; 

Its yellow bells so rich and bright, 

Behind the dog-wood's bloom of white, 

The passing breeze would toss and show 

Like starlight gleams through drifting snow ; 

On rustic frame close by the door, 

Wistaria vines their clusters bore, 

Of hanging blooms, whose Tyrian dyes 

Seem caught from evening's purple skies. 

And even when the dying year 

Was almost ready for the bier, 

The violet breath and cat-bird's tune 

Would make it seem like month of June. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 21 

It needed not that one should bar 
The heavy door which stood ajar — 
For summer's softness lingered still, 
And swept away the winter's chill. 



But all this beauty now has fled, 
This paradise, where nature smiled, 

Seems like a region of the dead, 
A dreary, hate-swept, barren wild. 

The sun still rises in the east, 
Above the poplar's silver crest ; 

Nor has the sunset changed the least, 
Through cypress spikes along the west. 

The live-oak throws its dense dark shade 
Across the hidden cool retreat, 

Where little children laughed and played, 
And beat the ground with dancing feet. 

The home is gone, the home so fair, 
Which was the heart of this sweet spot ; 

And all that now remains seems bare, 
By love and life and joy forgot. 

I cannot tell the change to me, 

Where nature still remains the same; 



22 FOR STATE) 

You only feel, you cannot see 

That here abides a people's shame. 

That here beneath the soft blue skies 
A shadow dark has come to dwell ; 

The blood-red stain of murder lies, 
Which nothing ever can dispel, 

Till justice comes, and law has power 
To right this cruel deed of man, 

This spot remains each coming hour 
Accursed of God and under ban. 



The eve which hails the Christ-Child's birth 

Had come once more to visit earth ; 

And Christmas bells would soon ring out, 

To spread the blessed news about; 

And all the pulsing air would fill 

With peace to man, and sweet good-will. 

And even in this black man's home, 

Bright thoughts of merry times had come. 

The father, when the first faint light 

Of day had struggled through the night, 

Had taken from his scanty hoard 

The little he could ill afford, 

And gone to buy some gift or toy 

For each to share the Christmas joy. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 23 

And, now, the pine-knots' ruddy light 
Upon the hearth gleamed red and bright, 
And fresh supplies were there to burn, 
Till laden down he should return. 
And each child, by some wish made wise, 
Gave oft a ready quaint surmise 
Of what he thought each one would get, 
From oldest down to household pet. 

He came, but for their merry glee 
No ans'ring word of mirth had he ; 
And for his wife no look of bliss, 
No clasp of hand, nor greeting kiss. 
He looked as if some venomed dart 
Had stopped the throbbing of his heart- 
As if the touch of death had now 
Already marked his cheek and brow. 
In silence deep the evening sped, 
The children soon were all abed ; 
And still he sat beside the fire, 
As if some sword of judgment dire 
Gleamed over head, to fall and strike 
Him and his helpless brood alike. 
At last his dumb lips broke their chain, 
As thought stirred slowly through the brain. 
And struggling words in broken flow, 
Came forth in whispers tense and low, 
Until his wife had learned too well 
The cruel wrongs which him befell. 



24 FOR STATE 

His Christmas stores had all been bought, 
With lightsome heart his home he sought ; 
Behind him lay the busy town, 
Before him was the country brown; 
So on he trudged with steady tread, 
Where rustling pine trees met o'er head, 
And lengthening shadows trailed around 
In twisted lines along the ground. 
With merry song and shifting load, 
He tramped the long and dusty road — 
Yet far from home, he paused to hear 
A clamor loud which smote his ear — 
The wassail song and lustful shout 
Of men engaged in drinking bout ; 
And on they came with shout and yell, 
Like demons from the depths of hell. 
Full well he knew they would not miss 
Such chance for drunken glee like this ; 
His quiet home and peaceful lot 
Had been to them a cancer spot — 
An envious sore to make them rage 
To drive him from his heritage. 
It brook'd not that he drew aside, 
And tried in vain to crouch and hide, 
In hope that they might pass him by, 
Or give him chance at least to fly. 
With curdling oath and fierce fell frown, 
They wheeled to try and ride him down ; 
But, with the hick'ry staff he bore, 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 25 

He bravely stood like knight of yore ; 

With blows, which had of strength no lack, 

He drove his savage foemen back, 

And, ere they rallied for the fray, 

In cane-brake near he hid away. 

Half dazed with fear, half blind with wrath, 

He crept along a lonely path, 

And, as the shadows deepened fast, 

He reached his quiet home at last. 

He feared his peril was not o'er, 

That darker things were yet in store, 

For, hidden in the matted cane, 

He heard them swear and swear again, 

With bitter oath and drunken hate, 

That fearful death would be his fate. 



Oh evening bright from out whose light 
At last the smiling day was born, 

When shepherd's feet made haste to greet 
The Holy Babe on Christmas morn. 

When shepherd band in Juda's land 
Enraptured gazed as angels sang; 

And sparkling skies sent glad replies 
Till Juda's hills with music rang. 

I wonder not that men forgot 
The holy song the angels sung, 



26 FOR STATE 

Nor strange to me they could not see 
The vision bright above them hung. 

But faith gives way and doubt holds sway, 
That God should let this holy time 

Be red with blood of helpless slain, 
And crimsoned with the curse of crime. 



As slowly passed that dull dread night — 
Too full of fear to think of flight, 
The man and wife sat side by side 
To share whatever might betide — 
The midnight hour chimed out at last ; 
The light upon the dark wall cast 
From fitful flash of flick'ring flame, 
Would fade and flare like blush of shame — 
When sudden noise rose high and loud, 
And swelling roar of rushing crowd, 
Mixed wth the snapping, crackling sound 
Of trampling feet on frosty ground : 
"Shoot the black dogs!" "Kill all the 

brood I" 
"Let's give them to the fire for food !" 
And lurid oaths of brimstone smell, 
Drawn from vernacular of hell, 
Smote quiv'ring on each victim's heart, 
Who knew their time had come to part. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 27 

A silence deep and full of doom, 

As that which comes with boding gloom 

In storm-clouds' front like death's deep 

hush, 
Before upon their prey they rush 
To smite, and twist, and kill and hurl 
Some fair, sweet home in fatal whirl. 
Such silence brooded for a space, 
Full long enough for thought to trace, 
Then flash of flame and death-winged shot 
Pours swiftly through each open spot, 
It matters not however small, 
Where streams the light through log-built 

wall; 
And axes strike the yielding door, 
Till prone it falls upon the floor. 
A sharp shrill scream, and on the bed 
A gasping child lies still and dead ; 
And yet again the dull dread thud, 
Like stone impact on damp stiff mud ; 
And yet again, then scream on scream, 
As startled from some troubled dream, 
Springs from its bed each half-robed child, 
With burning, throbbing wounds made wild ; 
And, wet with flowing crimson bath, 
Flies to escape that circling wrath ; 
But vain their flight — now here, now there, 
On frozen ground so hard and bare, 



28 FOR STATE 

You see outlined a black red spot, 
The victim of some well aimed shot. 



Ah! where the sire, the mother, then? 
Held in the grasp of brutal men, 
Whose eyes light up with fiendish glare, 
Whose lips give curses back for prayer, 
Are forced to hear each wailing cry, 
And see their children fall and die. 
Kept for such anguish fierce and deep, 
That devils blush and almost weep ; 
The blazing torch is soon applied 
By eager hands along each side, 
And quickly wrapt in circling flame, 
Which twist and curl about the frame, 
Their home, their all, in wreathing fire, 
Burns like some heathen funeral pyre. 
With mock and jeer and lustful haste, 
They strip the woman to her waist ; 
They make her bend upon her knee, 
And bind her to the fire-scorched tree. 
Then falls the cruel biting lash, 
And each stroke leaves the red-lipped gash- 
Unheeded all her anguished cries, 
Till fainting on the ground she lies ; 
And, when the morning light looks down, 
It falls upon her dead face brown. 

Not yet content — with fiercer rage, 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 29 

The living one their thoughts engage ; 
With hands bound fast to plunging steed, 
Half pulled, half dragged, they make him 

speed 
To covert thick of cane and reed, 
As if to hide from God their deed. 

Behind the matted, tangled frond, 

Which circles 'round the "Whistling Pond," 

A piece of rising hummock ground 

With clustered oak and beech is found; 

On landward side, a murky fen, 

Where beasts and venomed snakes make 

den; 
Where cypress knee and bamboo vine 
Spring thick among the gum and pine ; 
Where festoons grey of long moss sway, 
And dimly falls the light of day. 
High up in hollow cypress tree 
The large owl holds, in simple fee, 
The right of old baronial chief — 
To live like prince and rob like thief ; 
To raid at night, and in the day 
To sleep his wild carouse away. 
And just as soon as shadows fall, 
And night is cloaked with sombre pall, 
His demon laugh rings through the gloom, 
Like knell of fast approaching doom ; 
And chuckling whispers sink and swell, 



30 FOR STATE 

Like echoes *rom the mirth of hell, 
And dancing lights of red and blue, 
With misty globe of ghastly hue, 
Flit to and fro o'er marshy land, 
Borne swiftly by some unseen hand. 

Beyond, the hummock sloped away 

To where the sluggish waters lay, 

Where stretched along the rotten log, 

Or buried in the yielding bog, 

The alligator waits his prey, 

Or sleeps the passing hours away ; 

Where on some limb above the pool 

The snake takes its siesta cool, 

Or coiled around like thing of death, 

Gives forth its fetid noxious breath, 

With head erect, as if to dare 

The least invasion of its lair. 

A weirdsome, dreary, ghostly spot, 

Which, seen, can never be forgot ; 

A place alive with death, it seems 

A breeding place for frightful dreams ; 

A loathsome, gruesome, deadly hole, 

Well called by some "The Devil's Bowl." 

When men would talk in softer way, 

"The Whistling Pond" is what they say— 

The name, as has before been shown, 

By which it all around is known. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE) 31 

A German peddler, years before, — 
Hans Spiers, the simple name he bore — 
At close of eve one Autumn day, 
Did chance to come along this way, 
With heavy roll, and well-filled pack 
Strapped tightly on his sturdy back, 
And whistling, as he trudged along, 
The plaintive notes of some old song. 
Just as he passed some bushes tall, 
Which fringed the path like waving wall, 
He paused, as if to wipe his face, 
Nor thought of danger in that place ; 
A rustling sound, a moving shade, 
A gleam of swift descending blade — 
A cry, a gush of frothy red, 
And on the road a man lay dead ; 
Who struck the cruel, deadly blow, 
No living man will ever know. 



Days passed, they say, before they found 
His body by that ghastly lake — 

With buzzards springing all around, 
And feasting at their noisome wake. 

I do not know how it arose, 

I cannot tell you how it grew — 

I tell the story as it goes, 

And you must judge if it be true. 



32 FOR STATE 

They say that when the wind is low, 

And black clouds come from out the east, 

With gloomy pinions moving slow, 
Like vultures gath'ring to a feast ; 

A sobbing sound, like mourner's wail, 

Floats through the pine boughs overhead, 

As if across the sea a gale 

Had brought a requiem for the dead. 

A hush, and then the whistled notes 
Of some sad song with plaintive sound, 

Each on the night distinctly floats 

From that dark place where he was found. 

No negro ever lingers near, 

And even white men, passing by, 

Chilled with a nameless, creeping fear, 
Can scarce withstand the wish to fly. 



This was the place the murd'rers sought, 
And here their deep, damned deed they 

wrought. 
Through boggy marsh and deep morass, 
Where two abreast could scarcely pass, 
Where brambles spread their cruel mesh, 
And jagged cane stems pierced his flesh, 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 33 

They dragged their victim almost dead, 
And left behind a trail of red. 
At last they reached the hummock land, 
Where solid ground gave place to stand ; 
Then quickly to a stunted beech, 
Whose lower limbs they scarce could reach, 
They hung him up with iron chain, 
While each, devising some new pain, 
Strove which among them could excel 
In tortures learned through art of hell. 
Then from their flasks drank deep and long, 
To drown each thought of sin and wrong. 
"Here's to his death !" they drank the toast ; 
"May Satan like his Christmas roast!" 
While just beneath him on the ground 
They heaped the pine-knots circling 'round ; 
Then lit the pile, and soon the flame 
Crept up its writhing prey to claim. 
Not like the lightning's flash it wrought, 
But slow and sure its victim sought, 
While twist and jerk of swinging chain 
Told of some pang of fearful pain, 
And scream on scream of pleading prayer 
Broke loud upon the startled air ; 
The blackened limbs no longer strain, 
Rest falls upon the tortured brain, 
Each quiv'ring nerve grows still and numb, 
The screaming lips are charred and dumb ; 
The smouldering coals, the whitened bones, 



34 FOR STATE 

Which lie about like time-bleached stones, 
Are all that in the morning tell 
The fearful fate which here befell. 
And God was still ! He did not smite 
Those devils with His wrathful might ; 
He let them live and laugh — Ah, well ! 
He keeps them for a hotter hell. 



Again has come the Christmas morn, 

And from church towers the chiming bells 

Ring out the news that Christ is born, 
While far and near the music swells. 

The earth around seems fair and bright 
With love to God and love to man, 

And soft blue skies with mellow light 
Arch hill and vale with golden span. 

The little children run to see 

Their Christmas gifts, each book, each toy, 
And gather round their mother's knee, 

To let her share their happy joy. 

How glad are all, without, within, 

Each hour brings on some sweet surprise ; 

While earth, made free from hate and sin, 
Seems changed again to Paradise. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 35 

Oh ! God of mercy, is it so ? 

While here such peace and joy abide, 
Out yonder are those scenes of woe, 

Those ruthless wrongs years cannot hide. 

Bright sunny land, so dear to me, 
Where do such cruel murders tend ? 

If such a thing as justice be, 

Where will it end ? Where will it end ? 

Say, will thy children never learn 
That Achan's sin becomes their own, 

That for the South God's wrath will burn, 
Until we for these sins atone? 

Ye of the North, so great and strong, 
You think no punishment your due ; 

Hark well ! unless you stop this wrong, 
A day of judgment waits for you ! 

You took the negro, all untaught, 

And gave him franchise full and free ; 

You gave him rights with dangers fraught, 
As if too drunk or blind to see. 

Your hands for him a chasm made, 
We crowd him to the precipice ; 

By Northern guilt the egg was laid, 

Which hatched the Southern cockatrice. 



36 FOR STATE 

Go pluck the beam from out your eye, 
Before you cast the mote from ours ; 

The same dark cloud, that palls our sky, 
Above your hearthstone brooding low'rs. 

Black man ! my heart bleeds for your wrong, 
But cannot bide your beastly lust ; 

No cause with God or man is strong, 
Which draggles in the mire and dust. 

Go read your people's past, and learn 
The certain law which there is traced — 

The rope will stretch, the fire will burn 
For every white man's home disgraced. 

And on the guiltless of your race 

Will fiercely fall the white man's frown, 

Until, whene'er this sin finds place, 
You be the first to strike it down. 

At times I pause, and sadly think 
This Babylon, which we have built, 

Is even now upon the brink 

Of judgment for the nation's guilt. 

I see in burning words inscribed, 
God's writing on the massive wall, 

Where wealth and might are deified, 
And sin and lust hold carnival. 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 37 

May God forgive ! May God forgive ! 

Because His goodness we forgot, 
And vainly thought that we could live, 

And rule this land, yet own Him not. 

As Christmas comes let tumult cease, 
While earth is wrapt in holy light, 

Ring out fierce strife, ring in sweet peace, 
"Ring out the wrong, ring in the right." 

Then shall the pillared walls of state, 
Built on our father's simple plan, 

Rise stronger round our high estate, 
With love to God and peace to man. 



38 FOR STATE 



A RACE PROBLEM 

The clouds hang round like some dark ring, 
Which soon may circle o'er the plain; 

From which the couchant storm may spring, 
With angry front and tossing mane. 

Where will the remedy be sought 
For this dark shame, this fearful ill ; 

How best to do the things we ought, 
And bid this raging storm be still ? 

The solemn lessons of the past 

Loom threat'ning like the ghosts of doom, 
And on the smitten South are cast 

The shadows of a gath'ring gloom. 

No age, no land, has yet been found, 
Where, undisturbed by constant fights, 

The whites and blacks on common ground 
Have lived apart with equal rights. 

If here the negro race abides, 

And we the burden bear alone, 
This truth will stand what e'er betides 

As fixed as if 'twere carved in stone : 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 39 

That you this race as wards must hold, 
And keep them from our civil life, 

From rule and power, or else behold 

Each test of franchise fraught with strife. 

But yet, perhaps, on second thought, 
You may with us this burden share ; 

And negro franchise be as naught 
But empty castles in the air. 

Take back the rights they now possess, 
Which they can never exercise ; 

And future years your course will bless, 
As men who dared and acted wise. 

Let white men rule this land alone, 
Let black in home and life be free ; 

Then shall our lots be linked as one 
And we their race protector be. 

Their simple rights none will assail, 
They then as f avor'd wards will stand ; 

While better feelings will prevail, 
Nor raised shall be one hostile hand. 

The lot of an inferior race, 

With higher blessings richly blent ; 

Their home life full of Christly grace, 
With knowledge bringing sweet content. 



40 FOR STATE 

Else either soon the stronger one 
Will sweep the weaker race away ; 

And well we know if this is done, 

The black will go, the white will stay. 

Or surely this comes on apace, 

That white and negro slowly mixed, 

The South will breed a mongrel race, 
With lower type forever fixed. 

Who doubts which of these evils twain 
The South will choose, and dare her fate ; 

Till battle shouts ring out again, 
And Janus opens wide his gate? 

But yet perhaps across the sea, 

In that great land from whence they came, 
God holds for them in simple fee 

A nation's place, a mighty name. 

Out there, where Afric's burning sand 
Gleams bright with grains of waiting gold, 

Their Canaan fair, their Promised Land, 
He guards for them to own and hold. 

Until obedient to His call, 

Their countless hosts shall circling press; 
And marching o'er each falling wall, 

Their heritage at last possess. 




Cfr02>rafl) 



A CRIMSON CHRISTMAS TIDE 41 

Then let the North, which made them slaves, 
And let the South, which made them toil, 

Help them across the rolling waves, 
With treasures from Egyptian spoil. 

Else God may come to this fair land, 
As once He came in wrath and pow'r, 

When all the might of Pharaoh's hand 
Was palsied in a passing hour. 

Protected by this country's might, 

There rises far across the sea, 
In vision grand, a wondrous sight, 

The nation that is yet to be. 

The fabric of a glorious state, 

Majestic walls, and sun-crowned dome; 
Where, victor over adverse fate, 

The Negro race will find its home. 



FOR CHURCH 



A Lectionary and Hymnal 



AFTER THE APOSTLES' CREED 



WITH PRACTICAL MEDITATIONS 



*# 



Dedication 

To the Memory oe My Beloved Aunt, 

Mrs. R. H. Bernhardt, 

Whose Early Instructions in the 

Holy Doctrines of this Creed Will Never 

Depart from My Life, I Affectionately 

Dedicate these Brief Reflections 

e. a. w. 



INTRODUCTION 

In writing this little volume, I have drawn 
largely from sacred Scripture, influenced by 
the example and instruction of venerated 
men of God, who now have long entered into 
the blessedness of the Life Everlasting. I 
pray God, that, even as their words encour- 
aged and comforted me in work and suffer- 
ing, so may these simple thoughts be a source 
of comfort and instruction to others ! May 
the Divine Master be glorified and His ser- 
vants edified in all here written ! 

E. A. WINGARD 



THE APOSTLES' CREED 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, 
Maker of heaven and earth. 

And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our 
Lord; 

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under 
Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and 
buried; He descended in to hell; The third 
day he rose again from the dead; He as- 
cended into heaven ; And sitteth on the right 
hand of God the Father Almighty; From 
thence he shall come to judge the quick and 
the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy 
Christian Church; The Communion of 
Saints ; The Forgiveness of sins ; The Resur- 
rection of the body; And the Life everlast- 
ing. Amen. 



I 

CREATION 

"I believe in God the Father Almighty, 
Maker of heaven and earth." 



"I believe in God the Father Almighty, 
Maker of heaven and earth." 

Lesson 

Before the mountains were brought forth, 
or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the 
world, even from everlasting to everlasting 
thou art God. 

In the beginning God created the heavens 
and the earth. 

Of old thou laidst the foundation of the 
earth; and the heavens are the work of thy 
hands. 

The Lord by wisdom hath founded the 
earth; by understanding he hath estab- 
lished the heavens. He hath made the earth 
by his power, he hath established the world 
by his wisdom and hath stretched out the 
heavens by his discretion. When I con- 
sider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, 
the moon and stars which thou hast or- 
dained; what is man that thou art mindful 
of him, and the son of man, that thou visit- 
eth him? To us there is but one God, the 
Father, in whom are all things and we in 
him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom 



14 FOR CHURCH 

are all things and we by him. For by him 
were all things created that are in heaven, 
and that are in earth, visible and invisible, 
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or 
principalities, or powers; all things were 
created by him and for him ; and he is before 
all things, and by him all things consist. 

H. 

Practical Meditations 

What a wonderful epitome of Christian 
faith do we have in the Apostles' Creed? 
We confess the creation of all things by the 
power and word of God. Our connection 
with Adam as the head of the human race, 
through which all mankind were involved in 
his fall ; and that one descended from him 
yet without sin, should by his obedience, 
suffering, and death free us from the conse- 
quences of the fall ; and as the second Adam, 
give eternal salvation to all who trust in him. 

"In the beginning God created the heavens 
and the earth." Let it remain for science to 
discuss concerning the beginning, the length, 
the changes, the mode of creation. The 
knowledge she has yet attained cannot bring 
her disciples to any trustworthy conclusion. 
It is by faith that we know and understand 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAIv 15 

that God "created all things by Jesus Christ," 
"that all things were created by Him and for 
Him," and that "of Him and through Him 
and to Him are all things." Glorious Uni- 
verse! what an expression of Divine power 
and goodness; immeasurable by man, but 
measured by God ; undiscoverable by science, 
yet known to its Creator. How old, God has 
not revealed, man cannot discover. Not 
infinite, not eternal, but limited, bounded, 
having a beginning and coming to an end. 

Lord of the Universe, "what is man that 
Thou art mindful of him or the son of man 
that Thou visiteth him?" 



Hymn 



Almighty Father, we who stand 
Upon the footstool of Thy throne, 

Would sing the wonders of Thy hand, 
Created by Thy power alone. 

Omniscience drew the perfect plan, 

Almighty power with wisdom wrought ; 

From chaos dark to God-like man 

Creation's work by Thee was brought. 



16 FOR CHURCH 

The heavens above with all their light, 
The stars in shining, bright array; 

The moon to rule them all by night, 
The glorious sun to rule by day. 

The earth with all which it contains 
In waters deep, in moving air, 

On hills and vales, through wide-stretched 
plains, 
All form Thy handiwork so fair. 

And man, in whom Thy breath of life 
Formed first a living, holy soul, 

Like Thee, unstained with guilt or strife, 
Came forth at last to crown the whole. 



Hymn 
ii 

He spake and it was done, 
Commanded and it stayed ; 

When by His Word, the blessed Son, 
The heavens and earth were made. 

All things proclaim Him Lord, 
All fashioned by His hand; 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAI, 17 

Made to obey His mighty word, 
Or cease at His command. 

This mighty God is ours, 

Our Father quick to bless; 
Who guides us through life's passing hours, 

Whose goodness we confess. 

The creatures of His hand, 

We fill a servant's place, 
Until through Christ we come to stand 

The children of His grace. 



II 

REDEMPTION 

And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord ; 
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost ; 
Born of the Virgin Mary; 
Suffered under Pontius Pilate ; 
Was crucified, dead and buried ; 
He descended into hell ; 
The third day He rose again from the dead ; 

He ascended into Heaven ; 
And sitteth on the right hand of God the 
Father Almighty; 
From thence He shall come to judge the 
quick and the dead. 



"And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our 
Lord/' 

LESSON 

They shall call his name Emmanuel. We 
beheld his glory, the glory of the only-begot- 
ten of the Father. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave 
his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
lieveth in him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life; — the image of the invisible 
God — the brightness of his glory, and the 
express image of his power; for in him 
dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead 
bodily. Jesus said, I and my Father are 
one; before Abraham was I am, — he that 
hath seen me hath seen the Father. God 
also hath highly exalted him, and set him 
at his right hand in heavenly places, far 
above all principality, and power, and might, 
and dominion, and every name, that is 
named, not only in this woild, but in that 
which is to come. For he hath received 
from God the Father honor and glory, when 
there came such a voice from the excellent 
glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased. Thou art worthy, O Lord, 
to receive glory, and honor, and power ; for 



22 FOR CHURCH 

thou hast created all things; and for thy 
pleasure they are and were created. 

Practical Meditations 

"Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast 
the words of eternal life; and we have be- 
lieved and know that Thou art the Holy one 
of God." May we always thus confess 
Him, and say like Nathanael did, "Thou art 
the Son of God, Thou art the king of Israel. " 
To own Him as teacher, as Rabbi is not suffi- 
cient. To say that He is the greatest among 
those born of woman, and nothing more, is 
but folly and a lie. Either Jesus Christ was 
the Son of God, true God, very God ; or else 
He was nothing more than a misguided 
zealot, nay worse a blasphemer for whom 
death upon the cross was only deserved pun- 
ishment. Either He was a mere man whose 
bones are now whitening beneath the soil of 
a far away eastern land, or else He is my 
Lord and my God. If He is my Lord, my 
Saviour now, my judge hereafter, then, oh, 
my soul, kneel in reverence and adoration 
before Him ! Let me never be ashamed of 
Him in this adulterous and sinful generation, 
lest He should be ashamed of me when He 
cometh in the glory of His Father with the 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 23 

Holy Angels. Truly he who does not con- 
fess Jesus to be the Son of God is anathema. 
May we always keep before us the oath of 
Christ when the High-priest asked Him, "I 
adjure Thee by the living God that Thou tell 
us whether Thou be the Christ the Son of 
God. Jesus saith unto him, "Thou hast 
said; nevertheless, I say unto you hencefor- 
ward shall you see the Son of Man sitting on 
the right hand of power and coming in the 
clouds of heaven." 



Hymn 

A kingly crown is on Thy brow, 

O Son of God divine ! 
"Begotten of the Father," Thou 

His Glory claimest as Thine. 

Eternal years were in Thy sight 

But as a day of rest, 
When Thou didst lie in glory bright 

Upon Thy Father's breast. 

Before creation's work began 
Thou wast the "Living Word;" 

Ere earth was fitted yet for man, 
Thou wast creation's Lord. 



24 FOR CHURCH 

Thou wast from all eterrr.ty 
The true "Begotten One," 

Who was, and is, and is to be 
The well beloved Son. 



A LKCTIONARY AND HYMNAL 25 

"Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
bom of the Virgin Mary." 

Lesson 

Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a 
son, and shall call his name Emmanuel. The 
Angel said unto Mary, Fear not, Mary ; for 
Thou hast found favor with God. And, be- 
hold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and 
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his 
name Jesus. The Holy Ghost shall come 
upon thee, and the power of the Highest 
shall overshadow thee; therefore also that 
holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be 
called the Son of God. God sent forth his 
Son, made of a woman. Jesus Christ our 
Lord, which was made of the seed of David 
according to the flesh, and declared to be the 
Son of God with power. And without con- 
troversy, great is the mystery of godliness: 
God was manifest in the flesh. She brought 
forth her first born son and wrapped him in 
swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger 
because there was no room for him in the 
inn. And the Word was made flesh and 
dwelt among us. 



26 FOR CHURCH 

Practical Meditations 

Conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of 
the Virgin Mary, the Son of God humbled 
Himself and became the God Man, Jesus 
Christ, in whom perfect humanity dwelt 
veiled in the fullness of the Godhead. How 
He was conceived by the Spirit of the High- 
est, how He was born of the Virgin Mother ; 
these things belong to the mystery of the In- 
carnation, received and held by faith alone. 
Gabriel, the might of God, brought the 
strange message to Mary in her retirement 
in the humble home at Nazareth, and gave 
that name for the unknown Babe, "Jesus," 
which we here confess ; containing in bud 
the flower of His full Passion embraced in 
this same creed. Behold Him, Lord of 
Heaven, born in the little town of Bethlehem 
in the place where cattle were stabled. If 
the lilies in all their rich beauty needed not 
the splendor of Solomon's court to enhance 
their loveliness ; so the birth-place of the Son 
of God needed not the tawdry decorations of 
earthly wealth and power as a fit framing 
for the gift of God's love. The simplicity, 
nay the very humility, of the surroundings 
best befitted the birth of Christ. Out in the 
fields of Judea the Herald Angel announced 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 27 

this blessed event to humble shepherds, and 
angel choristers chanted the good tidings 
which he brought. Dear Christ of God, may 
we, like these simple shepherds, hasten to 
adore and see, and in each feeble throb of 
Thy Infant-life, feel the beating of the 
mighty heart of God as it yearns for man's 
salvation. 



Hymn 



Precious truth in Gospel story, 

In my heart by faith received, 
That my Lord, the King of Glory, 

By the Holy Ghost conceived, 
Had his birth-place in a stable, 

On the blessed Christmas morn, 
With a manger for a cradle, 

Of the Virgin Mary born. 

Sent of God, yet made of woman, 
Christ the Lord our Righteousness, 

Truly God, yet truly human, 
This the faith we here confess. 

Greatest truth ! caught not from sages, 
Lifted high above the rest, 



28 FOR CHURCH 

Son of God, and Lord of Ages, 
In the flesh was manifest. 



May we raise our glad hosanna 

In His temple walls to-day! 
May we love, like good old Anna, 

In His Courts to serve and pray ! 
And, with Simeon's faith beholding, 

See the Son of David's line; 
And, Salvation's plan unfolding, 

Hail Him also King Divine. 



Hymn 



ii 



With holy Angels let us sing 
The praises of our glorious King, 

For us a Saviour born ; 
Let Glory be to God above, 
On earth, for man, sweet peace and love, 

This blessed Christmas morn. 

Like those who watched their flocks by night, 
And saw the heavenly vision bright, 

Then left their earthly store 
To go and see the New Born King, 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 29 

So may we leave each earthly thing, 
And hasten to adore. 

Oh ! let us keep our Christmas feast 
Like those, who brought from out the East 

For Christ their off 'rings meet ; 
And bring our gold and treasures rare, 
Our songs of praise, our words of prayer, 

To rise as incense sweet. 



30 FOR CHURCH 

"Suffered under Pontius Pilate." 

Lesson 

He is despised and rejected of men ; a man 
of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and 
we hid as it were our faces from him; he 
was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried 
our sorrows ; yet we did esteem him stricken, 
smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was 
wounded for our transgressions, he was 
bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement 
of our peace was upon him; and with his 
stripes are we healed. All we like sheep 
have gone astray ; we have turned every one 
to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on 
him the iniquity of us all. He was op- 
pressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened 
not his mouth ; he is brought as a lamb to the 
slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers 
is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. And 
when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered 
him to be crucified. Then the soldiers took 
Jesus into the common hall. And they 
stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe ; 
and when they had plaited a crown of thorns, 
they put it on his head, and a reed in his right 



A IvECTlONARY AND HYMNAL 31 

hand; and they bowed the knee before him, 
and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the 
Jews ; and they spit upon him, and took the 
reed and smote him on the head. And after 
that they had mocked him, they took the 
robe off him, and put his own raiment on 
him and led him away to crucify him. 

Practical Meditations 

As some towering rock with untouched 
head lifts itself heavenward, while the surg- 
ing waves beat in their wild passion around 
its base; so the Blessed One bears Himself 
amid the tumult of hate, and the strife of 
words which rages about Him. King and 
Conqueror is He, though buffeted and 
mocked ; yet who can tell the awful suffer- 
ings which wound and pierce beneath all 
that calm majestic silence! Scourged with 
leather thongs, loaded perhaps with lead or 
armed with spikes, which lacerate back and 
chest — well called "The intermediate death." 
From his bleeding body they tear His gar- 
ments, and in bitter mockery they robe Him 
in purple. They plait the cruel thorns, and 
press them for a crown upon His brow ; and 
for a scepter they place a reed in His hand. 
They taunting cry, "Hail King!" and then 



32 FOR CHURCH 

while God looks on, and angels hide their 
faces for fear of His wrath, and hell rejoices, 
they smite His Son, and spit upon His Well- 
Beloved. Unrobed and robed again; the 
purple garment rent from His quivering 
flesh, while His own clothes are roughly 
pressed upon His throbbing wounds, they 
lead Him away to crucify Him. Deep 
waters had rolled over Him; God's billows 
of judgment had well nigh overwhelmed 
Him. Faint for lack of sleep, while His pale 
face bears the bloody marks of His torture, 
His bleeding body sinks beneath the weight 
of the cross. O, Suffering One! Thou 
didst suffer all this pain and anguish for our 
salvation, and from Thy agony and shame 
Thou didst at last ascend, leading death and 
hell captive, to reign forever in Thine ever- 
lasting kingdom. Dear Lord, if we suffer 
with Thee, we shall also reign with Thee. 
Out of our light afflictions here, if we are 
Thine, will come for us an exceeding weight 
of glory. 



A LECTION ARY AND HYMNAL 33 

Hymn 

Rejected and despised, esteemed as naught, 

Though God's own Son, 
This was to be His name, so prophets taught, 

The SufTring One; 
As sheep before the shearers dumb to be, 
As lamb to bloody slaughter led, so He. 

The Lord on Him our sins and guilt has laid, 

As grace revealed ; 
For by His stripes and death our debts were 
paid, 

And we were healed. 
Scourged, spit upon, betrayed, mocked and 

denied, 
And put to open shame, "The Crucified." 

The scarlet robe, the crown of thorns was 
Thine, 

Thou suff'ring One ! 
By Thee who drank the cup, O, Lamb 
Divine, 

God's will was done. 
For us, who all like sheep have gone astray, 
Thy weary feet did press dark sorrow's way. 



34 FOR CHURCH 

"Was Crucified" 

Lesson 

And he bearing his cross went forth ; and 
as they came out they found a man of Cy- 
rene, Simon by name, coming out of the 
country, and on him they laid the cross, that 
he might bear it after Jesus. And when 
they were come unto a place called Golgotha, 
that is to say, a place of the skull — they cru- 
cified him. And Moses made a serpent of 
brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to 
pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, 
when he beheld the serpent of brass he lived. 
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder- 
ness even so must the Son of Man be lifted 
up, that whosoever believeth in him should 
not perish but have everlasting life. Herein 
is love, not that we loved God, but that he 
loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitia- 
tion for our sins. Him being delivered by 
the determinate counsel and foreknowledge 
of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands 
have crucified and slain. 



A IvECTlONARY AND HYMNAL 35 

Practical Meditations 

The free gift was of many offenses unto 
justification. Christ was the free gift of 
God's love. The offenses of sin brought 
Him down. Sin clothed Him in human 
flesh. Sin afflicted, tortured, and at last cru- 
cified Him. 

Dear Lord, may I stand beneath Thy 
cross, and beholding all Thy suffering be 
drawn closer to the fountain opened for sin, 
as it trickles from Thy pierced hands and 
feet, and flows from Thy riven side. The 
scourging and spitting upon, the thorns and 
nails, the hunger and thirst, the long hours 
of hanging on the cross, the desertion of 
friends, and. the curses of enemies; oh, Son 
of God! were all these sufferings borne for 
me? Thou wast made a sacrifice for me. 
The sin-taking, the sin-carrying One made 
sin for me. 

This, Lord, is my only hope. Let me see 
in Christ crucified the Lamb of God who 
taketh away my sin ! This my need for the 
coming day of death ; this my want for the 
life that is now ! 



36 FOR CHURCH 

Hymn 

Up steep Golgotha's rocky hill, 
Behold, He comes to do God's will ; 
Uplifted on the cross to give 
To all who look the pow'r to live. 

Here by the world adjudged and tried, 
Our blessed Lord was crucified, 
That whoso on Him should believe, 
Would pardon free from God receive. 

Dear wounded hands, dear bleeding feet ! 
What grace divine, what mercy sweet, 
Flows in each drop of precious blood, 
Which trickles down, a healing flood. 

Dear Saviour, 'round that cross of Thine, 
About that sacrifice divine, 
All men will gather, drawn by Thee, 
Who hear Thy call, "Come unto me." 

We, too, dear Lord, would take our place 
Beneath this fountain of Thy grace; 
And, washed within its crimson flow, 
Be cleansed from sin as white as snow. 



A IvECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 37 

The Seven Words of the Crucifixion 

First Word 

"Father, forgive them; for they know not 
what they do." 

Lesson 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou 
shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. 
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless 
them that curse you, do good to them that 
hate you, and pray for them which despite- 
fully use you and persecute you. Then the 
soldiers when they had crucified Jesus, took 
his garments and made four parts, to every 
soldier a part; and also his coat. Now the 
coat was without seam woven from the top 
throughout. They said therefore among 
themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots 
for it whose it shall be; that the scripture 
might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted 
my raiment among them and for my vesture 
did they cast lots. The soldiers also mocked 
him, offering him vinegar; and saying, If 
thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself. 
These things therefore the soldiers did. And 
they stoned Stephen calling upon God, and 



38 FOR CHURCH 

saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And 
he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, 
Lord lay not this sin to their charge. 

Practical Meditations 

Behold the utter self-forgetfulness of the 
God-man! He remembers only divine 
mercy, and prays for His brutal murderers ; 
for those who crucify Him ; but not only for 
them, but for all who, in their sinful igno- 
rance, crucify Him afresh. He says, "Fath- 
er, forgive them, for they know not what 
they do." With these words, He covers the 
guilty heads of His murderers with the 
shield of His love, and secures them from the 
wrath of God. But let us reflect that this 
forgiveness comes not to those who know- 
ingly reject the Christ of God. O Cross of 
Christ ; tree of life, and tree of damnation ; 
tree of life for sinners through ignorance; 
tree of damnation for all who sin against 
Thee and would know what they do. Dear 
Lord, we would claim our part in this blessed 
prayer. It comes to us through eighteen 
centuries as Thy intercession for us. Lord, 
though we fall seventy times seven, let that 
prayer avail for us. May we not absolutely 
choose darkness, and say unto Satan, 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 39 

"Tempt me," and to Christ, "Let me alone." 
O, may none of us taste of the good word of 
God and, with our eyes wide open, walk 
away into the darkness of an irreversible 
doom! 

Hymn 

While yet the trickling life-blood flows 
From bleeding hands and feet ; 

While still undrained the anguished heart 
Continues yet to beat. 

He pleads his perfect sacrifice, 

The virtue of His blood ; 
"Father, forgive them," now apply 

This healing, cleansing flood. 

Lay not this sin unto their charge, 

These men who crucify ; 
For even them I came to save, 

For them I came to die. 

But far beyond the Saviour looks 

To every age and clime, 
And prays the same, sweet blessed prayer 

For sinners of all time. 

Father, thev know not what they do — 

To sin they do not say, 
"Be thou my good" — dear Lord forgive, 

And take their guilt away. 



40 FOR CHURCH 

Second Word of the Crucifixion 
"To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." 

Lesson 

I saw in the night visions, and behold, one 
like the Son of Man came with the clouds of 
heaven, and they brought him near before 
him. And there was given him dominion, 
and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, 
nations, and languages should serve him. 
His dominion is an everlasting dominion, 
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom 
that which shall not be destroyed. And one 
of the malefactors which were hanged railed 
on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thy- 
self and us. But the other answering, re- 
buked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, 
seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 
And we indeed justly ; for we receive the due 
reward of our deeds ; but this man hath done 
nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, 
Lord, remember me when thou comest into 
thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, 
Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be 
with me in paradise. Then shall the King 
say unto them on his right hand, Come ye 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 41 

blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom 
prepared for you from the foundation of the 
world. 



Practical Meditations 

What a bright star shines through the rift 
here made in the darkness that overhangs 
the cross. Behold the faith of the dying 
thief! not master, not teacher, not Rabbi, 
but "Lord, remember me." Thou art king 
over death; Thy kingdom shall come and 
Thy throne shall be forever and ever. Then, 
O Lord, remember me. And king even upon 
the cross, with the agonies of death laying 
hold upon Him, the Lord opens the gate of 
Heaven for the penitent, suppliant sinner 
with those gracious words, which like strains 
of sweetest music have come down from the 
Paradise of God to millions on their dying 
beds. Divine Head of all Princes, Thrones, 
and Powers, whether in heaven or on earth, 
how great is Thy power and love! Blessed 
is the thought that this very day Thou will 
be in that home, where for man the thorn and 
thistle grow no more; no sweat of painful 
toil upon the brow, nor tear of grief to dim 
the eye; where God will say again, "My 
child ;" and man, in loving trust, reply, "My 



42 FOR CHURCH 

Father." And in that home this penitent 
believing one will be, beholding Thy face 
and sharing Thy glory. Lord, we also 
would fain be where Thou art. The hour of 
death, the last bitter agony comes on too 
fast; oh, help us to repent! oh, help us to 
believe! so that, having passed through the 
valley of the shadow, where Thou art there 
may we be also. 

"And when these failing lips grow dumb, 

And mind and memory flee ; 
When Thou shalt in Thy kingdom come, 

Jesus, remember me." 



Hymn 

Momentous truth which here we view, 
Which learned Rabbis never knew; 
Which e'en disciples could not see, 
A gracious, mighty King is He. 

The malefactor at His side 
Beholds in Him the Crucified — 
One strong to save, a mighty King, 
And to His mercy dares to cling. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAIy 43 

Just as I am, I have no plea ; 
Just as Thou art, I come to Thee ; 
And in Thy Kingdom yet to be, 
I ask Thee, Lord, "Remember me." 

Such was his prayer, and, blessed Word, 
This was the answer of his Lord ; 
Amen ! I say that thou shalt be 
In Paradise to-day with me. 

Though full of guilt without, within, 
Dear Lord, remember not my sin ; 
Remember me, oh ! hear my prayer, 
And let me in Thy Kingdom share. 



44 FOR CHURCH 

Third Word of the Crucifixion 
"Behold thy son; Behold thy mother." 

Lesson 

Honor thy father and thy mother. And 
his mother said unto him, Son why hast thou 
thus dealt with us? behold thy father and I 
have sought thee sorrowing. And he said 
unto them, How is it that ye sought me? 
wist ye not that I must be about my Father's 
business? And he went down with them 
and came to Nazareth, and was subject to 
them ; but his mother kept all these sayings 
in her heart. And Simeon blessed them, and 
said unto Mary, Behold this child is set for 
the fall and rising again of many in Israel ; 
and for a sign that shall be spoken against ; 
(yea a sword shall pierce through thine own 
soul also;) that the thoughts of many hearts 
may be revealed. Now there stood by the 
cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother's 
sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary 
Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his 
mother, and the disciple standing by, whom 
he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman 
behold thy son ! Then saith he to the dis- 
ciple, Behold thy mother! And from that 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 45 

hour that disciple took her unto his own 
home. 



Practical Meditations 

What loving delicate service the beloved 
disciple here renders his dying Master. He 
alone of all the disciples is here, not afraid to 
be near to Christ even when He hangs upon 
the cross. He alone brings to the Crucified 
One His mother; and from those lips that 
had so often spoken words of tenderness and 
love to him, he receives a priceless, but at the 
same time, a dangerous inheritance, the 
mother of Christ. What an unspeakable 
privilege this must have been to him, to 
guard and keep the mother of his Lord, to be 
her son. And yet how dangerous! The 
same bitterness and hate that brought Jesus 
to His death would doubtless rage around 
the Virgin Mother, seeking to compass her 
taking off even as they had killed Him. 
Christ here speaks as a human son to a hu- 
man mother. All priestly and kingly 
thoughts apart, He feels as a son, and pro- 
vides for His weeping mother. If He had 
so wished He could have left her treasures of 
land and money, for all things were His. He 
gives her something far more precious than 



46 FOR CHURCH 

silver and gold, the human heart which was 
next His own. How short the Saviour's 
will to His mother and John; they hear, 
they understand, and they are satisfied. 
Dear Lord, may we always be found, like 
John, near Thy cross, knowing that here 
Thou bestowest Thy best gifts. Even if 
danger and added toil be involved in the 
charge committed to us, may we receive it 
joyfully, willingly! What if the Lord gives 
us not the gold and silver of the earth ! 
Better far the loving ones He has given us 
to provide for in our homes. Divine Master, 
may we always share Thy gifts with Thy 
needy ones who do Thy will, remembering 
that these are Thy father, Thy mother, Thy 
sisters, Thy brothers ! 



Hymn 

With Thy body, bruised and wounded, 

With Thy anguish, Lord, from sin, 
Thou as son beheld Thy mother, 

As Thy dearest, earthly kin ; 
Made provision for her comfort, 

Ere Thy earthly work was done ; 
Gave her Thy beloved disciple, 

In Thy stead to be her son. 



A IvECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 47 

Oh, how precious is this message, 

Full of love this blessed Word ; 
Thou hast formed a bond of union 

In the Kingdom of the Lord ; 
In Thy church a home is founded, 

Where the lonely enter in, 
Where they find, through loving Jesus, 

All who love Him are their kin. 

So we read the Saviour's message, 

As it comes to us to-day, 
That God's work, with all its duties, 

Takes not earthly love away; 
And that, here, He makes provision 

Through His own unto His own, 
So that all, who slight His needy, 

Never yet the Lord have known. 



48 FOR CHURCH 



Fourth Word of the: Crucifixion 

'My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken 
me?" 



Lesson 

My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken 
me? art thou so far from helping me and 
from the words of my roaring? All they 
that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot 
out their lips, and shake their heads saying, 
He trusted in God that he would deliver him ; 
let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in 
him. I am poured out like water, all my 
bones are out of joint ; my heart is like wax ; 
it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My 
tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and thou hast 
brought me into the dust of death. They 
have pierced my hands and my feet. They 
part my garments among them and cast lots 
upon my vesture. 

Likewise also the chief priests, mocking 
said among themselves with the scribes, He 
saved others, himself he cannot save. Let 
Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from 
the cross that we may see and believe. And 
they that were crucified with him reviled 
him. And when the sixth hour was come 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 49 

there was darkness over the whole land until 
the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus 
cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama 
sabachthani, which is, being interpreted, My 
God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? 



Practical Meditations 

"Draw not nigh hither. Put off thy shoes 
from thy feet for the place where thou stand- 
est is holy ground." Who can imagine the 
sufferings breathed in that mysterious 
"Eloi ?" This the cup He prayed might pass 
from Him — no mere cup of death, innocent 
victim's or glorious martyr's ; no cup of 
death, but something else — something into 
which the Holy angels might desire to look, 
but behold not. Something so awful that 
the Divine Son trembles under it ; something 
that the loving Father with unsparing hand 
inflicts. Something sent from God suffered 
for us, inexplicable to us. Not the pangs of 
hell, no. It is the absence of God's love that 
makes hell. Who can doubt that God looked 
with perfect love on that suffering One ? It 
could not have been the anger, the fury, the 
hatred of the Father from whom He came, 
with whom He was ever one. In some way 



50 FOR CHURCH 

there was a forsaking, else why that cry? 
In some way there was a being made sin, a 
binding up with the sinner ; but not hell. He 
said, "My God," and hell's dark kingdom 
cannot be where there is "My God." Why 
forsaken, O, Thou Holy One? For our 
salvation from the curse of death and sin. 
What a hateful thing sin is to God. He 
seems even to forsake His well Beloved, 
bearing sin to destroy it, and to save sinners. 
How full and finished Thy glorious redemp- 
tion. From the dark night of Thy sin-be- 
coming has arisen the Day-star on high, 
through whose guiding light we may become 
righteousness in Thee. Dear Father, may 
we learn to trust Thee even when we cannot 
see. May we be able to say, "My God, my 
Father," even when the light of Thy smile is 
gone and we walk in the shadows of a trou- 
bled heart, darker than the valley of death 
itself! 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 51 

Hymn 

Deep the anguish of that question, 

Ah ! how desolate that cry, 
Coming from the "Well Beloved," 

As he is about to die — 
Why forsaken? 

Why should God thus pass Him by? 

Lord, it was for our salvation, 

That we, here, might learn and see 

What a hateful thing and evil, 
Is the guilt of sin to Thee — 

Borne for others, 
Makes Thy Son accursed to Thee. 

Jesus, Thou wast sorely smitten, 

That we all might fully know, 
Without sin, God's law did hold Thee, 

Made as sin to all below — 
God forsaken ! 

That His grace might freely flow. 

Here we learn, that when in anguish, 
Standing in some judgment place, 

When the Father for a season 
Hides from us His loving face — 

Thus forsaken, 
Yet our God will show His grace. 



52 FOR CHURCH 

Fifth Word of thf. Crucifixion 
"I thirst/' 

IvESSON 

For thy sake I have borne reproach; 
shame hath covered my face. I am become 
a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien 
unto my mother's children ; for the zeal of 
thine house hath eaten me up; and the re- 
proaches of them that reproached thee are 
fallen on me. Reproach hath broken my 
heart, I am full of heaviness ; I looked for 
some to take pity, but there was none; and 
for comforters, but I found none. They 
gave me gall for my meat ; and in my thirst 
they gave me vinegar to drink. 

After this, Jesus knowing that all things 
were now accomplished that the scripture 
might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there 
was set a vessel full of vinegar; and they 
filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon 
hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 

As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, 
so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living 
God; when shall I come and appear before 
God? 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 53 

Practical Meditations 

Dear Lord, was ever thirst like Thine? 
Since the evening before no cooling drink of 
water had passed Thy lips. Thy agony of 
the garden; the six cruel vexing trials; the 
scourging itself akin to death, fevered 
tongue and festering wounds — oh, how real, 
how fearful Thy thirst. But Thou didst say, 
"I thirst," that the scripture might be ful- 
filled, that the honor of God's word might be 
upheld by Thee, and that all things written 
concerning Thee should be accomplished, 
every jot and tittle. Dear Lord, teach us so 
to honor, so to thirst for the fulfillment of 
Thy Father's word. May we never add 
thereto or take therefrom, lest God add to us 
the plagues written in the scripture, and take 
our names out of the Book of Life! And 
with Thy thirst for the fulfillment of God's 
word Thou didst thirst for God Himself, for 
the living God, to do His will, to finish the 
work He gave Thee to do, to be in His 
blessed presence, and to rest in His bosom, 
Thy dwelling place from everlasting ages. 
Even as the hart panteth after the water- 
brooks so do our souls thirst for Thee, O, 
Christ. Grant that we may ever drink of 
that living water which Thou alone canst 



54 FOR CHURCH 

give, and may it be in us like wells of water 
springing up unto eternal life ! Soon will 
we come to walk through death's dark vale. 
Soon will the restlessness and distress, the 
faintness and exhaustion of dying, and this 
very pain of thirst, be ours. Grant then, O, 
Lord, to guide us safely through the valley 
of the shadow to the green pastures and still 
waters of the Eternal Land, where we will 
thirst no more, but where Thou shalt lead us 
to living fountains of waters ! 



Hymn 

With Thy sweat, like drops of blood, 
From the conflict long withstood ; 
With the scourge marks yet so fresh 
On Thy tender quiv'ring flesh; 
Fest'ring wounds so full of pain, 
Where the nails their load sustain ; 
From Thy fevered lips so dry, 
Comes this bitter, pleading cry. 

Can it be, oh, Son of God ! 
Paths like ours Thy feet have trod ? 
Weary, fainting, dying now, 
All akin to us art Thou ; 
Restless from Thy sore distress, 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 55 

Pangs of thirst upon Thee press; 
Truly, Lord, Thou art our kin, 
Son of man, yet without sin. 

Jesus, here upon the cross, 
All besides to Thee was dross, 
Save to do Thy Father's will, 
And His smallest word fulfill. 
Honor for Thy Father first 
Drew from Thee the cry, "I thirst;" 
In Thee, crucified and killed, 
Not a tittle unfulfilled. 

Though in death Thy head must bow, 
Oh ! how soon how surely now 
Wilt Thou, Lord, forever blest, 
In Thy Father's bosom rest ; 
And Thy soul athirst for God, 
Longs to pass beneath the rod, 
And behold Thy Father's face 
Shining in the heavenly place. 



56 FOR CHURCH 

Sixth Word of ths Crucifixion 
"It is finished." 

LESSON 

I have a baptism to be baptised with, and 
how am I straitened till it be accomplished! 
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things 
that are written by the prophets concerning 
the Son of Man shall be accomplished ; for he 
shall be delivered unto ihe Gentiles, and shall 
be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and 
spitted on; and they shall scourge him, and 
put him to death ; and the third day he shall 
rise again. 

I say unto you that this that is written 
must yet be accomplished in me. And he 
was numbered with the transgressors ; for 
the things concerning me have an end. 

When Jesus therefore had received the 
vinegar, he said, It is finished. I have 
fought a good fight, I have finished my 
course, I have kept the faith. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAIv 57 

Practical Meditations 

Not finished, but accomplished. That life 
of obedience and suffering had served its 
purpose, and could not be swallowed up even 
in eternity. Those blessed words of truth 
uttered by Him must be true for the ages. 
That blessed redeeming work not ended, but 
accomplished, His life must forever be the 
pattern for all lives ; His words the light to 
guide all pilgrims ; whosoever in all ages lays 
hold on His work, shall find in it rest and 
salvation. Sin borne, sin taken, sin can- 
celled, justice satisfied, death vanquished, the 
waters of life made free to all who will take 
and drink. Room for me, for you, for all. 
All is done, we have only to believe. Our 
feeling and work can add nothing to the all- 
sufficiency of the death and merits of Jesus 
Christ. Let us "Come believing, receiving, 
so will we come to Jesus Christ and live." 

Let us take courage in our fight against 
sin, for the Captain of our salvation has con- 
quered. May we never forget that God has 
a work for each one of us to do. May those 
words of the Master, "It is finished," be 
always a source of strength. Whatever be- 
longed to Him belongs to me. Because His 
life and sufferings are mine, mine, too, will 



58 FOR CHURCH 

be His victory. May each one be able to say 
with St. Paul at the end of life's work, "I 
have finished my course;" and hearing the 
blessed "well done" of our Lord, receive 
from Him a crown of righteousness that 
f adeth not away ! 



Hymn 

All that holy men and prophets, 

Of redemption longed to see ; 
All that wise men through the ages 

Taught that human life might be ; 
All the law of God demanded, 

That its claims be satisfied ; 
All by Christ was now accomplished, 

When upon the cross He died. 

"It is finished," hear the Gospel 

Which these blessed words reveal, 
All sufficient is redemption, 

Nothing more to do or feel ; 
Washed from sins as red as crimson, 

Whiter made than drifted snow, 
Lifted to the highest heaven 

From the pit of hell below. 



A IyECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 59 

Full forgiveness by the Father, 

Full acceptance through the blood ; 
Righteousness and peace accomplished, 

Through that healing, cleansing flood. 
"It is finished," then believing, 

Let us to the Saviour come ; 
Trusting in His full atonement, 

Till we reach the Father's home. 



60 FOR CHURCH 

Seventh Word of the Crucifixion 

"Father, into Thy hands I commend my 
spirit." 



Lesson 

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust ; let me 
never be ashamed: deliver me in thy right- 
eousness. For thou art my rock, and my for- 
tress ; therefore for thy name's sake lead me 
and guide me. Pull me out of the net that 
they have laid privily for me, for thou art 
my strength. Into thine hand I commit my 
spirit; thou has redeemed me, O Lord, God 
of truth. And when Jesus had cried with a 
loud voice he said, Father into thy hands I 
commend my spirit ; and having said thus he 
gave up the ghost. Let those who suffer 
according to the will of God, commit the 
keeping of their souls to him in well doing 
as unto a faithful Creator. I know whom I 
have believed, and am persuaded that he is 
able to keep that which I have committed 
unto him against that day. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 61 

Practical Meditations 

The first words which we hear from the 
lips of Jesus were about His Father's busi- 
ness, and the closing words of His earthly 
lips were those commending His spirit into 
His Father's hands. To do His Father's 
will was His meat and drink. The love of 
the Father was His chief delight, and His 
exceeding joy; and union with Him the 
crown of all His desires. From the horrid 
pressure of sin He flies into His Father's 
hands as a sure abiding refuge. He knows 
that to fall asleep is only to awake on the 
bosom of God. He sees outstretched be- 
neath Him the everlasting arms ; and in per- 
fect confidence He exclaims, "Father, into 
Thy hands I commend my spirit." God's 
word was to Him while living His vital 
breath, so also when dying He gives up life 
with a passage from God's word on His lips. 
Christ dies with full assurance. He looks 
upward to the Father's bosom from whence 
He came. So now the soul of God's child 
even in death can throw itself into the Fath- 
er's arms rejoicing, when all around are 
weeping. Death is close. It may come sud- 
denly, to-night or to-morrow night to any 
one of us. It may come to me. Am I ready ? 



62 FOR CHURCH 

Have I finished the work God gave me to 
do? Can I utter that prayer, "Father, into 
Thy hands I commend my spirit"? Lord 
Jesus, give me grace to say to death : 

"I fear thee not, thou cruel foe, 
Though fierce thy rage, for well I know 
Whither my ransomed soul shall go, 

When fails my earthly day. 
The quiet grace my woes shall end, 
My soul I'll calm to God commend, 
And to the land of life shall wend 

My angel-guided way." 



Hymn 

Now, that each bitter woe is past, 
And sorrow's cup is drained at last ; 
His latest words to God ascend, 
And to His hands His soul commend. 

Amid those horrors all around, 
From out death's darkness, deep, profound, 
His faith looks up, His soul He gives 
Into His Father's hands, and lives. 

Lord Jesus ! Thou with God art one ; 
He keeps His children through His Son ; 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 63 

So we our spirits would commend 

To Thee, our Saviour, Brother, Friend. 

Far more to us than earthly gold, 
Which here we vainly strive to hold, 
Our houses fair, with widespread lands, 
We give our souls into Thy hands. 



64 FOR CHURCH 

"Dead and Buried'' 

Lesson 

The Jews therefore because it was the 
preparation, that the bodies should not re- 
main upon the cross on the sabbath day, ( for 
that sabbath day was an high day) besought 
Pilate that their legs might be broken, and 
that they might be taken away. Then came 
the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, 
and of the other, which was crucified with 
him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw 
that he was dead already, they broke not his 
legs; but one of the soldiers with a spear 
pierced his side, and forthwith came there 
out blood and water. And he that saw it 
bare record and his record is true, and he 
knoweth that he saith true, that ye might be- 
lieve. For these things were done that the 
scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him 
shall not be broken. And again another 
scripture saith, They shall look on him whom 
they pierced. And after this Joseph of Ari- 
mathaea being a disciple of Jesus, but secret- 
ly for fear of the Jews besought Pilate that 
he might take away the body of Jesus ; and 
Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 65 

and took the body of Jesus. And there came 
also Nicodemus, which at the first came to 
Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of 
myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pounds 
weight. 

They took the body of Jesus, and wound it 
in linen with the spices, as the manner of the 
Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he 
was crucified there was a garden ; and in the 
garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never 
man yet laid. There laid they Jesus there- 
fore because of the Jews' preparation day; 
for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. 

Practical Meditations 

Behold the Son of man hanging as Man's 
Representative dead upon the cross. How 
great the sacrifice accomplished by Him! 
There He received death as the wages of sin 
for man and in room of man. His life was 
given as a ransom for many. Dead for all, 
that He might redeem us all from iniquity. 
Blessed fact, He tasted death for every man ; 
but blessed truth, in the tasting of death, 
death did not approach Christ, but Christ 
approached death. Sweet contradiction, "He 
died without death." He met death not as 
one conquered but as conqueror, laying down 



66 FOR CHURCH 

His life at His own will, and taking it up 
again by His own divine power. Buried! 
How precious the privilege of Nicodemus 
and Joseph! Ladders are brought and 
planted against the cross. Tenderly are the 
nails drawn from hands and feet; lovingly, 
gently do they take Him down, and wrap 
Him with reverential sorrow in the linen they 
have brought. So the two disciples carry 
the body to the quiet plot of ground in the 
garden of Joseph. With the faithful women 
they wash away the bloody spots from His 
sacred form, and fill with myrrh and aloes 
the white linen in which they wrap His 
body. Softly and solemnly they lay it to rest 
in the new sepulchre. There He slumbers. 
There the Prince of Peace reposes like one 
resting from a hard-won victory. Over His 
closed eyes hovers the dawn of the resurrec- 
tion. Behind Him had closed the doors of 
death; but the shadows on loving hearts 
without were soon to be dispelled by the 
brightness of that undying light and life 
ready to burst from within. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 67 

Hymn 

As the Word of God had spoken, 

As the holy prophets said, 
Not a bone of Him was broken, 

Hanging crucified, and dead; 
But upon that dismal mountain, 

From His riven side, a flood 
Gushing, sprang the blessed fountain 

Of the water and the blood ; 

Showing that death had not bound Him, 

That His flesh from sin was free ; 
That corruption had not found Him, 

(This the Holy could not see). 
Sacraments, in symbols, giving 

Pardoning grace and cleansing pow'r; 
In the Church of Christ still living, 

Witnessed ev'ry passing hour. 

Loving hands, that could not aid Him, 

When He died the world to save, 
Took Him down, and gently laid Him 

With the wealthy in His grave. 
Token of His resurrection, 

Round Him spread the blooming sod ; 
Guarded by the Lord's protection, 

Buried was the Son of God. 



68 FOR CHURCH 

He Descended into Hell. 

LESSON 

Because thou wilt not leave my soul in 
hell neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy one 
to see corruption. For Christ also hath once 
suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that 
he might bring us to God, being put to 
death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit. 
By which also he went and preached unto 
the spirits in prison, which some time were 
disobedient when once the long-suffering of 
God waited in the days of Noah, while the 
ark was a preparing. In the midst of the 
street of it, and on either side of the river, 
was there the tree of life, which bare twelve 
manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every 
month, and the leaves of the tree were for 
the healing of the nations. 

Practical Meditations 

Amazing mystery! Who can fathom the 
depths of these words, "He descended into 
hell"? Who can enter those mighty doors 
of brass, which the hand of the conqueror 
burst open ? God's word tells us that quick- 
ened in the spirit, He went and preached to 



A LKCTIONARY AND HYMNAL 69 

spirits in prison. In human flesh He 
preached to men in the flesh — Himself in the 
spirit, He preached to spirits. Not only did 
He die for the unrighteous, but, while His 
sacred body rested in the grave, He went and 
preached to notorious sinners who, in prison, 
were suffering the just penalty of their 
deeds. Could His preaching have been that 
of condemnation? Would the merciful 
Saviour visit souls irretrievably lost merely 
to enhance their misery? Might it not be 
possible that He went to bring some to God 
who, like the men of Tyre and Sidon, Sodom 
and Gomorrah, had not the opportunities we 
now enjoy? Might He not, as His word of 
message seems to imply, have been a herald 
of salvation? Here scripture is silent. May 
we not, however, venture the humble hope 
that some who had not listened to Noah, the 
preacher of righteousness, listened to Christ, 
the preacher of salvation? But let us not 
abuse such a hope to our own destruction. 
We know from the certain Word of God, 
that for those to whom this gospel is now 
preached, the one opportunity of securing 
salvation is in the time that is. If we will 
not accept and love and serve Christ now, 
will not this refusal and neglect be to us ab- 
solutely and finally fatal ? 



70 FOR CHURCH 

Hymn 

By the pow'r of God defended, 
Into hell the Lord descended, 

So the Holy Scriptures tell ; 
And the captive's chains were riven 
By the mighty Lord of Heaven, 

When He vanquished death and hell. 

There He preached the gospel gracious, 
By His death made efficacious, 

With salvation's gift unpriced. 
Who can tell, but some who languished 
There with devils, tortured, anguished, 

Then believed on Jesus Christ? 

Here is now the time accepted, 
Christ received or Christ rejected, 

For eternal gain or loss ; 
But the Lord, who brought salvation, 
Could not go with condemnation 

To hell's captives from His cross. 

When on earth the voice of preaching 
We would try to bar from reaching 

In the depths the lowest fell ; 
May we, gracious Lord ! remember, 
That the Gospel, strong yet tender, 

Once was preached by Thee in hell. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAIy 71 

'The third day He rose again from the 
dead." 



LESSON 

And, behold, there was a great earthquake, 
for the angel of the Lord descended from 
heaven, and came and rolled back the stone 
from the door, and sat upon it. His counte- 
nance was like lightning, and his raiment 
white as snow : and for fear of him the keep- 
ers did shake, and became as dead men. Now 
upon the first day of the week, very early in 
the morning, they came into the sepulchre, 
bringing the spices which they had prepared. 

And they said among themselves, Who 
shall roll us away the stone from the door of 
the sepulchre? for it was great. And they 
found the stone rolled away from the sepul- 
chre. And they entered in and found not 
the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to 
pass, as they were much perplexed there- 
about, behold two men stood by them in 
shining garmets : and as they were afraid, 
and bowed down their faces to the earth, 
they said unto them, Why seek ye the living 
among the dead? He is not here, but is 
risen : remember how he spake unto you 



72 FOR CHURCH 

when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The 
Son of man must be betrayed into the hands 
of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third 
day rise again. And they remembered his 
words. 

Practical Meditations 

"Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, 
neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to 
see corruption." So prophecy spoke, so now 
was God's word to be fulfilled. To human 
sight visible, the angel of God came down 
and rolled away the stone from the door of 
the sepulchre. The Lord of life, bursting 
through the gates of hell, retenanted His 
glorified body, and shaking the place of His 
interment with the throes of an earthquake, 
came forth in such resplendent glory, that 
the keepers fell as dead men. Holy resur- 
rection morn ! no such day like this has been 
since the world began. No such stretching 
forth of God's arm mighty to save. No 
such day of joy and gladness. Day of gra- 
cious deliverance from man's great enemies, 
death and hell. Deliverance not for one day, 
but forever; not for one family or people, 
but for all nations. Fear no more ; the Lord 
is risen, such is the joy of the disciples. Safe 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 73 

now from fear of evil, safe from the troubling 
of the wicked, safe for eternity. Full sal- 
vation for them, simply by holding the 
mighty hand of Him who had burst the bars 
of death. May this new life and hope be 
ours ! Life draws on and we are coming 
nearer and nearer to death. It is certain we 
are going to die. Can we look forward to 
the life of the Resurrection from the dead? 
Lie in our graves we must, as surely as 
Christ lay in His. If we cannot rise out of it 
as He rose, what will become of us? Dear 
Lord, grant to us the full joy and life of Thy 
Resurrection ! 



Hymn 

Lo, they come with off'rings meet, 
Bringing spices rare and sweet 

To anoint their buried friend ; 
Heavy-hearted, full of pain, 
Eyes made dim with sorrow's rain, 

For they loved Him to the end. 

Lifeless corpse they thought to see, 
Where corruption's touch would be ; 

Grave clothes stained with dust and damp 
But behold them, as they stand, 



74 FOR CHURCH 

Where the workings of God's hand 
All around had left their stamp. 

Glorious angels, clothed in white, 
Filled the cave with wond'rous light, 

As in fear they bow the head ; 
Open door and empty grave, 
Tell His mighty pow'r to save — 

Christ is risen from the dead. 

And to them, in sore distress, 
Come these words of tenderness, 

Full of promise, "Fear net ye;" 
Seek Him not among the dead, 
He is now your Risen Head, 

As He said that He would be. 

"Fear not ye," the angels say 
To His dying saints to-day, 

Who in Him have put their trust ; 
And who wait the coming hour, 
When His mighty word of pow'r 

Shall awake their sleeping dust. 



A IvECTlONARY AND HYMNAL 75 

"He Ascended into Heaven." 

Lesson 

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, 
and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 
And it came to pass, while he blessed them, 
he was parted from them, and carried up 
into heaven. And a cloud received him out 
of their sight. And while they looked stead- 
fastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, 
two men stood by them in white apparel, 
which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why 
stand ye here gazing up into heaven? this 
same Jesus which is taken up from you into 
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye 
have seen him go into heaven. And they 
worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem 
with great joy; and were continually in the 
temple praising and blessing God. And they 
went forth and preached everywhere, the 
Lord working with them, and confirming the 
word with signs following. Amen. 

Lift up your heads, O ye gates ! even lift 
them up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King 
of glory shall come in. Who is this King of 
glory ? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of 
glory. 



76 FOR CHURCH 

Practical Meditations 

On that last day 4 the day of His Ascen- 
sion, the Risen Lord leads His disciples forth 
to well remembered Bethany. From there 
He had made His last triumphal entry into 
Jerusalem, where exultant cries greeted Him 
as David's Son. From the same spot He 
makes His triumphal entry into Heaven as 
David's Lord. There He gives unto them 
their new commission, their work, and their 
final sure promise of His abiding presence. 
As He speaks, He lifts His hands in bless- 
ings upon them, and is visibly taken up until 
a luminous cloud receives Him out of their 
sight. Dear Lord, how sweet thy message, 
"I ascend to my Father and your Father, 
to my God and your God." Henceforth, 
Heaven, where Thou art, becomes our home, 
our treasure-house and our hearts' sure ref- 
uge. Blessed Home, "whither the Fore- 
runner is for us entered!" Gracious Lord, 
eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart 
of man conceived, the glories of that celestial 
place. Thou art now in those many man- 
sions of the Father's House, preparing a 
place for us, that where Thou art there we 
may be also. Now we know only in part, 
and see through a glass darkly the great 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 77 

things Thou art reserving for us. What- 
ever else we do not know, this we do know, 
that Thou who wast born at Bethlehem and 
lived in Galilee, and didst wash Thy dis- 
ciples' feet, and die upon the cross for us. 
Thou, our Friend and Saviour, art there. 
What Thou wast on earth to Thy disciples, 
that art Thou now to us in that blessed 
home! 



Hymn 



Beneath the cloud a little band, 
Who look with anxious eyes, 

To see the Lord in glory grand, 
Pass through the op'ning skies. 

As each one with uplifted head 

Beholds the Lord ascend, 
His hands almighty are outspread 

In blessings without end. 

A shining cloud receives His form 
And hides Him from their gaze ; 

While still they stand with hearts forlorn 
And full of sore amaze, 



78 FOR CHURCH 

Until the white-robed angels say, 

"The Lord ye saw ascend, 
Will once again, some coming day, 

In shining clouds descend." 

Their hearts with glowing rapture burn, 
They worship Him as Lord ; 

And full of joy, they now return 
To teach and preach His word. 



Hymn 
ii 

Above the cloud the angels sing 

The praises of His love, 
And bells of heav'n melodious ring 

To welcome Him above. 

Lift up your heads ye golden gates, 
The Lord hath vanquished sin ; 

The King of glory now awaits, 
He comes to enter in. 

Ye everlasting doors be raised ! 

Again the angels sing ; 
By earth and heav'n adoring praised, 

The Lord of hosts is King. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAI, 79 

O King of glory ! take Thy seat, 
The heavens are now Thy throne, 

And earth the footstool of Thy feet, 
Where Thou shalt reign alone. 



80 FOR CHURCH 



'And sitteth on the right hand of God the 
Father Almighty." 



Lesson 

All power is given unto men in heaven and 
in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all 
nations, baptizing them in the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost, teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, 
I am with you alway even unto the end of 
the world. Jesus, who for the joy that 
was set before him, endured the cross, de- 
spising the shame, is gone into heaven, and 
is on the right hand of God ; angels, and 
authorities, and powers being made subject 
unto him. God hath raised Christ from the 
dead, and set him at his own right hand in 
heavenly places, far above all principality, 
and power, and might, and dominion, and 
every name that is named, not only in this 
world, but also in that which is to come ; and 
hath put all things under his feet, and gave 
him to be the head over all things to the 
church, which is his body, the fulness of him 
that filleth all in all. Stephen, being full of 
the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 81 

heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus 
standing on the right hand of God. 

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill 
of Zion. I will declare the decree : the Lord 
hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day 
have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall 
give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, 
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy 
possession. Thou shalt break them with a 
rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces 
like a potter's vessel. Be wise now there- 
fore, O ye kings ! be instructed, ye judges of 
the earth! Serve the Lord with fear, and 
rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest he 
be angry, and ye perish from the way, when 
his wrath is kindled but a little. Ble sed are 
all they who put their trust in him. 

Practical Meditations 

Henceforth, we are brethren of Him who 
ascended into heaven and is set down at the 
right hand of God. Saviour enthroned, how 
can we draw near to Thee in Thine exalted 
majesty! In heaven itself at the right hand 
of the Highest ; in heaven itself on the throne 
of God art Thou, O, Son of man ! And be- 
fore that brow which bore the crown of 
thorns and that form which wore the purple 



82 FOR CHURCH 

robe, the angels bow and worship, while at 
Thy pierced feet they cast their crowns re- 
joicing. O, child of man, think of Christ, 
sitting on the right hand invested with abso- 
lute authority and clothed with kingly glory ; 
at His name so highly exalted, bow thy knee 
and worship before Him. Think of Him 
thus, when tempted by the world and the 
devil, and realize that He has power to de- 
liver and save unto the uttermost. Think of 
Christ thus, whenever the honors and pleas- 
ures of this world would dim thy sight and 
dull thy heart. Realize that the honors and 
riches of earth are but dross, when compared 
with the bliss of being with Him, sharing His 
kingly glory, seeing Him as He is, and being 
like Him. Surely God hath set Him on His 
holy hill of Zion. The heathen have been 
given to Him for an inheritance, and the 
uttermost parts of the earth for His posses- 
sion. As our great High Priest within the 
vail, He ever intercedes for us, glorious in 
His eternal mediatorship. As our King 
upon His throne, He rules and reigns over 
that kingdom which we will share with Him, 
and of which there shall be no end. 



A IvECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 83 

Hymn 

Can I doubt the great salvation 

Wrought by Jesus when He died ? 
Or the blessed revelation 

That the law was satisfied? 
Can I doubt my own redemption, 

Purchased by His blood for me ; 
Or my full and sure exemption 

From the judgment yet to be? 

See Him in His pow'r so glorious, 

Seated at the Father's side ! 
While as king He reigns victorious 

O'er His vast dominions wide. 
There is now no condemnation, 

For my Saviour rules above ; 
And in kingly exaltation 

Shields me with almighty love. 

Can I fear when foes beset me 

With their legions fierce and strong? 
Can the hosts of troubles fret me, 

As around me thick they throng ? 
All combined can work no evil, 

For my King is on His throne ; 
And, in spite of man and devil, 

Safe through life He guards His own. 



84 FOR CHURCH 

For the Father did enthrone Him 

High on Zion's holy hill ; 
Tremble ye, who would disown Him, 

He has pow'r to break and kill. 
Kiss the Son ! lest in His anger 

He should smite you with His rod ; 
Who can stand the flaming danger 

Of the awful wrath of God? 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 85 

"Front thence He shall come to judge the 
quick and dead." 

Lesson 

He cometh to judge the earth: he shall 
judge the world with righteousness, and the 
people with his truth. God shall judge the 
secrets of men by Jesus Christ. Rejoice, O 
young man, in thy youth and let thy heart 
cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk 
in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight 
of thine eyes; but know thou that for these 
things God will bring thee into judgment. 
For the Son of man shall come in the glory 
of his Father with his angels ; and then shall 
he reward every man according to his work. 
And I saw a great white throne and him that 
sat on it, from whose face the earth and the 
heaven fled away; and there was found no 
place for them. And I saw the dead, small 
and great, stand before God ; and the books 
were opened ; and another book was opened, 
which is the book of life ; and the dead were 
judged out of those things which were writ- 
ten in the books, according to their works. 
Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is 
with me to give to every man according as 



86 FOR CHURCH 

his work shall be. Then shall the King say 
unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed 
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared 
for you from the foundation of the world. 
Then shall he also say to them on his left 
hand, Depart from me ye cursed in everlast- 
ing fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 

Practical Meditations 

"Behold, the days are coming in the which 
they shall begin to say to the mountains fall 
on us and to the hills cover us." God hath 
said unto Christ, "Sit Thou on my right hand 
till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." 
"From this time forth shall ye see the son of 
man sitting on the right hand of power and 
coming in the clouds of heaven." Before 
Him shall be gathered all nations, and the 
dead, small and great, shall rise and stand 
before the judge of quick and dead. The 
books of God will be opened ; many a book of 
death; many a page overflowing with the 
records of sin; deeds of darkness long hid- 
den, now flashing with fearful surprises on 
the guilty man and the beholding world. 

How terrible will the light of Christ's 
coming and the devouring fires of God's 
judgments burst upon all infidelity and un- 



A IvECTlONARY AND HYMNAL 87 

godliness and atheism. One book of Life 
will be opened where the names of the re- 
deemed and saved will be written. In that 
scene each one of us will have to take his 
part. How are we prepared for it ? Let us 
seek for refuge in Him who is now our 
Saviour but who then will be our judge. 
Out of Christ who will be able to look into 
the face of Him who sitteth upon the throne ? 
Who will be able to stand the wrath of the 
Lamb ? Abiding in Christ here, the wrath of 
the Lamb will be a power unknov/n to thee. 
"A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten 
thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not 
come nigh thee." Christ's coming will only 
be the accomplishment of His purpose, "I 
will come again and receive you unto myself, 
that where I am there ye may be also." 

Hymn 

I am looking, I am waiting, 

For the coming of the Lord ; 
For that day of wrath and splendor, 

Surely promised in His Word — 
When the Lord shall come in glory, 

As the judge of quick and dead ; 
And the earth shall shake and tremble 

As it feels His kingly tread. 



88 FOR CHURCH 

When the nations shall be gathered 

By His holy angels bright, 
All the wicked on His left hand, 

And the ransomed on His right ; 
And the Books of God be opened, 

Full of rapture and despair, 
For each one to hear his sentence 

From the judgments written there. 

Then His fearful word of judgment 

To the lost shall be, "Depart ;" 
And the fires of endless anguish 

Shall consume the sinful heart ; 
Then His own shall hear with gladness 

That sweet, loving message, "Come," 
And shall go to dwell forever 

In His holy, happy home. 

I am waiting, gladly waiting, 

For the coming of that day, 
When in flaming wrath of judgment 

Heav'n and earth shall pass away; 
For I know that nothing hurtful 

On that day can come to me, 
In the full and sweet assurance 

That my Lord, my Judge will be. 



Ill 

SANCTIFICATION 

I believe in the Holy Ghost ; 
The holy Christian Church, the Communion 
of Saints ; 

The Forgiveness of sins ; 
The Resurrection of the body ; 

And the Life everlasting. 
Amen. 



"I believe in the Holy Ghost." 

LESSON 

I will pray the Father, and he shall give 
you another Comforter that he may abide 
with you forever. He shall not speak of 
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear that 
shall he speak : and he will show you things 
to come. When he, the Spirit of truth, is 
come, he will guide you into all truth. He 
shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, 
and shall show it unto you. The spirit of 
adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father ; the 
spirit which beareth witness with our spirit 
that we are the children of God ; the spirit of 
grace and supplication, which helpeth our in- 
firmities. For we know not what to pray for 
as we ought. But the Spirit itself maketh 
intercession for us with groanings which 
cannot be uttered. The love of God is shed 
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost 
which is given to us. And when the day of 
Pentecost was come, they were all with one 
accord in one place. And suddenly there 
came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing 
mighty wind, and it filled all the house where 
they were sitting. And there appeared unto 



92 FOR CHURCH 

them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat 
upon each of them. And they were all filled 
with the Holy Ghost. The Communion of 
the Holy Ghost be with you all ! 

Practical Meditations 

I believe in the Holy Ghost, not merely 
that He once descended, but that there is still 
such a Person, still working, still living in all 
who are indeed God's children. I believe 
that I need His work and indwelling; and 
that to me, even me, that work and that in- 
dwelling are promised and guaranteed. I 
believe that, asking, I shall receive Him into 
my heart, to teach, to comfort, to direct, to 
regulate, to transform. The promise is, He 
dwelleth with you and shall be in you. He 
dwelleth with us in every ordinance of the 
Church, whenever we meet for worship, 
whenever the blessed sacrament of baptism 
is administered, and wherever the Holy 
Supper received. In our sorrow for sin, 
in our thirst after holiness, in our longings 
for Jesus Christ, in our wrestling with God 
in prayer, and our communion with Him, in 
all these are the fruits of the Holy Spirit 
working efficaciously in us. If the Holy 
Spirit work not these things within us, it is 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 93 

our fault. We receive not, because we ask 
not. Countless are the sinner's needs, and 
countless are the gifts of the Spirit to fill 
these needs in every heart that asks aright. 
God has interposed but one thing between 
the want and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
God will give His Holy Spirit to them that 
ask Him. You cannot earn, you cannot 
merit such a gift — you can ask, you can pray, 
"O God, give me Thy Holy Spirit for 
Christ's sake." May God grant this prayer ! 
So shall a peace which passeth understand- 
ing spring up in your heart, which long dese- 
crated, long defiled, shall be filled with the 
marvelous brightness of the knowledge of 
God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ. 



Hymn 

To Thee our worship now is giv'n, 

O blessed Holy Ghost ! 
Adored as God on earth, in heav'n, 

By all the ransomed host. 

Creation's work was shared by Thee, 

Thy mighty power we trace, 
When brooding breath of life moved free 

Upon the water's face. 



94 FOR CHURCH 

The men of old, by Thee inspired, 

Revealed the truth received; 
The Promised One, the Long Desired, 

Was by Thy power conceived. 

Thy gracious gifts through Christ, the Lord, 
Came down like tongues of flame, 

To teach His Church His blessed word, 
And glorify His name. 

Through Thee by faith we now receive 

The things of Christ divine ; 
And all the doctrines we believe, 

With brighter glory shine. 

Through Thee alone to Christ we come, 

Drawn to His bleeding side ; 
And through Thy strength, which leads us 
home, 

Alone in Him abide. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 95 

'The Holy Christian Church, the Commu- 
nion of Saints/' 



Lesson 

Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in 
Zion, for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, 
a precious corner stone, a sure foundation. 
Other foundation can no man lay than that is 
laid, which is Christ Jesus. And he that 
believeth on him shall not be confounded. 
Upon this rock will I build my Church, and 
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 
The household of God are built upon the 
foundation of prophets and apostles, Jesus 
Christ himself being the chief corner stone, 
in whom all the building, fitly framed to- 
gether, groweth unto an holy temple in the 
Lord ; in whom ye also are builded together 
for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 
The House of God which is the Church of 
the living God. I was glad when they said 
unto me, Let us go into the House of the 
Lord. One thing have I desired of the Lord, 
that will I seek after ; that I may dwell in the 
house of the Lord all the days of my life to 
behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire 
in his temple. The Church — the body of 



96 FOR CHURCH 

Christ. There is one body and one spirit, 
even as ye are called in one hope of your call- 
ing; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one 
God and Father of all, who is above all, and 
through all, and in you all. One is your 
Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. 

Practical Meditations 

It is no longer in and through a material 
building, as the temple at Jerusalem, that 
God reveals Himself, but in living temples. 
Through the humanity of our Lord God 
made Himself known. Christ said concern- 
ing His body, "Destroy this temple, and in 
three days I will raise it up." But the 
human body of the Lord Jesus has passed 
away, and now is substituted for it His mys- 
tical body, the Church, in which God dwells, 
and through which He makes Himself 
known ; — the Church of Christ, consisting of 
all believers the world over, having as its 
essential marks the word of God rightly 
preached and the sacraments rightly admin- 
istered according to Christ's word and 
commandment, producing repentance and 
faith ; — the Church of Christ realized in dif- 
ferent communities or congregations. It is 
the indwelling of God in the Church, which 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 97 

makes it the Church of the living God; and 
only as the Church through its members 
knows Him and reveals Him does it fulfill its 
destiny. The Church is also the communion 
of saints, in which God's sons and daughters 
live in one holy harmonious family under the 
sway of supreme love to Him their Heavenly 
Father. 

It is of the essence of the Church, that 
unity, peace, and concord must be among its 
members, in order for it to be the communion 
of saints. Wherever discord, strife, and 
jealousy assert themselves, there the Christ- 
ian cannot exist and continue, for its Head 
is the God of peace and love. The Church 
is our Lord's instrument for man's salvation. 
He uses the Church, the Ecclesia, as an ag- 
gregation of individuals, giving to each man 
his work, and saying to him, "Occupy till I 
come." Each faithful member of the Christ- 
ian Church must have as the rule of his life, 
"Always abounding in the work of the 
Lord." The Church is also to be the holder 
and maintainer of God's truth, which she 
neither makes nor finds, but which God re- 
veals to her through His word. 

It is not so much the claim, but the test of 
the Church. What Christ was, may His 



98 FOR CHURCH 

Church ever be, the witness for the Truth of 
God! 

Hymn 

Church of the ever living God, 

Communion sweet of saints, 
To thee I turn with ardent love, 

For thee my spirit faints. 

O blest abode ! where God doth dwell, 

And where the Heav'nly Voice 
Speaks words of gracious truth divine, 

While list'ning souls rejoice. 

Maintainer of the truth of God, 

This blessed work is Thine, 
With sacramental grace to fill 

This empty heart of mine. 

Body of Christ, Himself the Head, 

We members of the same ; 
Each doing service meet and fit 

To glorify His name. 

O holy temple of the Lord ! 

The Christ by man denied, 
Becomes for thee a Corner Stone, 

Precious, and true, and tried. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAIy 99 

And holy saints upon Him built 

Each in his fitting place, 
Like priceless gems shine from thy walls, 

Bright with His glorious grace. 

blessed joy, to me most dear ! 
How sweet, I cannot tell ; 

To enter through Thy open door 
Within thy courts to dwell. 

1 would not have a higher place 

Than keeper of Thy door, 
If but to see my Saviour's face, 
And praise Him evermore. 



LofC. 



100 FOR CHURCH 

"The Forgiveness of Sins." 

Lesson 

Surely he hath borne our griefs and car- 
ried our sorrows. He was wounded for our 
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniqui- 
ties ; the chastisement of our peace was upon 
him, and with his stripes we are healed. 
Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall 
save his people from their sins. In whom 
we have redemption through his blood, the 
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches 
of his grace. This is a faithful saying and 
worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus 
came into the world to save sinners, of whom 
I am chief. Be it known unto you therefore 
men and brethren, that through this man is 
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. 
The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins 
of the world. This is my blood which is 
shed for many for the remission of sins. If 
we walk in the light we have fellowship one 
with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ 
his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If any 
man sin we have an advocate with the 
Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He is 
the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 101 

only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 
I write unto you, little children, because your 
sins are forgiven for his name's sake. 

Practical Meditations 

Every possible step in Christian life, all 
growth in grace, I owe to the blood of the 
Lamb, to the blessed fact and assurance that 
the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross did bear 
and take away my sins. "He is the propitia- 
tion for the sins, and not for mine only, but 
also for the sins of the whole world." 
Thank God for the comforting, strengthen- 
ing power of the simple heaven-sent doctrine 
of the atonement made for all our sins by the 
blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanseth us 
from all sin. Well may we bless God that 
those who are wearing white robes in heaven 
to-day were sinners here ; but their sins were 
forgiven, and their soiled garments washed 
white in the blood of the Lamb. They were 
not of the ninety and nine just persons which 
need no repentance, but they were like him 
of whom God's Angel said to those around 
him, "Take away the filthy garments from 
him;" and to him, "I will clothe thee with 
change of raiment and behold I have made 
thine iniquity to depart from thee." And 



102 FOR CHURCH 

such are we, sinners by nature and act. O, 
to be washed, sanctified, and justified in the 
name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of 
our God ! Momentous question for each one 
of us. Am I washed? Am I forgiven? 
Surely, of all the terrors of the last great day, 
none will be more appalling to behold, more 
agonizing to endure, than that of him who 
will say, "I called Christ Saviour, but He 
never saved me from my sins. I trusted in 
the blood of sprinkling, but I treated it all the 
time as an unholy thing, and did despite day 
by day to the Spirit of Grace." 

"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, 
call ye upon Him while He is near; let the 
wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous 
man his thoughts ; and let him return unto 
the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, 
and to our God, for He will abundantly par- 
don. 

Hymn 

Yes, my sins are all forgiven, 

All my guilt, though black as night ; 
From His side, by spear-thrust riven, 
Flows the blood which makes me white. 
Precious blood, precious blood, 
Flowing from my Saviour's side ; 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL. 103 

Fountain opened for forgiveness, 
Wash me in its crimson tide ! 

Name above all names is Jesus, 

Sweeter, dearer, none can be; 
From the guilt of sin He frees us, 
Saves His people, even me. 

Precious blood, precious blood, 

Flowing from my Saviour's side ; 
This my hope from condemnation, 
Refuge sure in which to hide. 

"Worthy of all acceptation/' 
Faithful saying for belief ; 
Jesus came to bring salvation 
For lost sinners, me the chief. 

Precious blood, precious blood, 

Flowing from my Saviour's side ; 
In His grace, and in this promise 
Let me ever, Lord, abide. 

Hear him, sinners ! are there any 

Who can doubt His blood thus spilt? 
"This, my blood, was shed for many," 
For the cleansing of your guilt. 

Precious blood, precious blood, 

Flowing from my Saviour's side ; 
Fountain opened for forgiveness, 
Wash me in its crimson tide ! 



104 FOR CHURCH 

And from Him, who loved us ever, 
And who washed away our sins, 
May our souls be taken never, 
Snared by Satan's crafty gins. 

Precious blood, precious blood, 

Flowing from my Saviour's side ; 
Through that blood I stand acquitted, 
In that blood am justified. 



A IvECTIONARY AND HYMNAIy 105 
"The Resurrection from the Dead." 

Lesson 

Marvel not at this — Verily, verily I say 
unto you that the hour is coming and now is, 
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son 
of God and they that hear shall live. O my 
people, I will open your graves and cause you 
to come out of your graves. Thy dead men 
shall live, together with thy dead body shall 
they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in 
the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, 
and the earth shall cast out the dead. Many 
of them that sleep in the dust of the earth 
shall awake. Even so them also which sleep 
in Jesus will God bring with him. If the 
spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the 
dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ 
from the dead shall also quicken your mortal 
bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 
The hour is coming and now is, when the 
dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God : 
and they that hear shall live. There shall be 
a resurrection of the dead, both of the just 
and the unjust, — some to everlasting life, 
and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 
The hour is coming in the which all that are 



106 FOR CHURCH 

in the graves shall hear his voice and shall 
come forth ; they that have done good unto 
the resurrection of life; and they that have 
done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. 

Practical Meditations 

Glorious risen Saviour ! gracious are those 
words of Thine, "I became dead, and behold 
I am living unto the ages of the ages." I die 
no more. For me the last enemy is de- 
stroyed, and surely shall be for all who are 
mine. In my hands are the keys which lock 
and unlock the gates of death and hell. I 
shut and no man openeth ; I open and none 
can shut. The fundamental thought of the 
resurrection of the body is 'found in those 
precious words, "We shall be like Him for 
we shall see Him as He is." When He 
dwelt on earth in His body of weakness, His 
human friends could hold intercourse with 
Him. In His present glorified form, until 
some like change in them, He must commu- 
nicate with them by His Spirit. There must 
be a change in our material frame before we 
can sustain the view of Christ's exalted hu- 
manity. Stephen saw Him only in death, and 
had his soul absorbed by the vision. Paul 
saw Him, but knew not whether he was in 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 107 

the body or out of it. John saw Him, and fell 
at His feet as dead. Man's material frame 
grows into the likeness of his inward nature. 
Stephen's face, when he saw Christ, became 
like an angel's, and was but the natural blos- 
som of his soul's life coming out in him be- 
fore the common spring-time of the resurrec- 
tion. When man receives from God's hand 
the glorified resurrection body made after the 
similitude of Christ's most glorious body, 
then indeed will his lordship over creatures, 
granted at first and lost by the fall, be re- 
stored and heightened through Christ. 
Then, as King and Priest unto God His 
Father, shall he live that two-fold eternal life 
of royal dominion and blessed service, seek- 
ing only the fulfillment of God's will and the 
welfare of the universe. 

Sad reverse thought to all this glorious 
vision ; for the wicked the resurrection body 
will not be a body of glory, but a body of 
anguish, of torment; a body suited to that 
future life which is called more properly the 
second death ; a state of companionship with 
all that is evil and of final severance from all 
that is good or lovely or loving. Good were 
it for that man if he had not been born, if he 
had never been born. 



108 FOR CHURCH 

Hymn 

I am growing, slowly growing, 

In the image of my Lord, 
Through the blessed holy sowing 

By the Spirit through His word. 
When I end my earthly being, 

Then my spirit caught above, 
Where my faith is changed to seeing, 

Shall be like the Lord I love. 

Through death's dark and gloomy portal 

Friends will lay my flesh away, 
Resting in sweet hope immortal 

Of the resurrection day ; 
Where, with angels all surrounded, 

Christ will come through flaming skies 
And the judgment trumpet sounded, 

All the dead in Him shall rise. 

In a moment brief and glorious, 

In the twinkling of an eye, 
Over death and hell victorious, 

They shall rise no more to die ; 
And their bodies, raised in glory, 

Shall be like their Master's own, 
Where we read in Bible story, 

Of the light that from it shone. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 109 

Groaning now for its redemption, 

Then this body, Lord of mine, 
Shall be raised in full exemption 

From the ills that make it pine ; 
And become Thy temple wholly, 

Where my sinless soul shall dwell ; 
From whose courts Thy worshp holy, 

Through eternity shall dwell. 



110 FOR CHURCH 

"And the Life Everlasting. Amen." 

LESSON 

He that believeth on me hath everlasting 
life. And you hath he quickened who were 
dead in trespasses and sins. And hath be- 
gotten us again into a lively hope by the 
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; 
that like as Christ was raised up from the 
dead by the glory of God the Father, even so 
we also should walk in newness of life. God 
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is 
in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life. 
In him was life, and the life was the light of 
men. I am come that they might have life 
and that they might have it more abundantly. 
I give unto them eternal life. And this is 
life eternal, that they might know thee, the 
only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou 
hast sent. Your life is hid with Christ in 
God. When Jesus Christ, who is our life, 
shall appear, then shall ye also appear in 
glory with him. And God shall wipe all 
tears from their eyes and there shall be no 
more death, neither sorrow nor crying, 
neither shall there be any more pain ; for the 
former things are passed away. 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 111 

And he showed me a pure river of water of 
life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the 
throne of God, and of the Lamb. And the 
Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him 
that heareth say, Come. And let him that is 
athirst, Come. And whosoever will let him 
take of the water of life freely. 

Practical Meditations 

We who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
have eternal life now, subject to an earthly 
environment. He that hath the Son hath 
life. He that believeth on me shall never 
die. This is life eternal, to know Thee, the 
only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou 
hast sent. 

The believing soul has passed from death 
to life, but the full fruition of that life will 
only be when, in the resurrection of the body, 
we will enter on the entire and incorruptible 
immortality of our whole being. Eternal 
life in heaven is but the development of the 
eternal life begun on earth. The same in 
character, in motive of service, and in the 
substance of its joys. We know that we 
have passed from death to life, because we 
love God and the brethren. Dwelling in 
love there, we will dwell in God and God in 



112 FOR CHURCH 

us. In that blessed life of love to which each 
contributes and from which each receives, we 
shall forever behold Him our King in His 
beauty, and the more we gaze the more will 
we love, and our growth in that eternal love 
will be as infinite as God. What the service 
of that eternal life will be, where His ser- 
vants serve Him day and night, we can only 
conjecture. It is true, however, that its ser- 
vice will be the simple outgoing and satisfy- 
ing of love in whatever can serve and glorify 
Him whom we love. It is possible to con- 
ceive; it is even probable that our work in 
heaven will be connected with our employ- 
ments on earth, and that our use of the gifts 
and talents committed to us here will decide 
our work and position for us in the eternal 
kingdom of God. There may also be degrees 
in the glory of that eternal life. It is simply 
a question of eternal justice and unerring 
righteousness in recognizing and rewarding 
the use we have made of the grace given to 
each one of us. We will each enter heaven 
on the same terms, redeeming mercy; yet 
each will have his own place, his own crown, 
his own work, his own glory, according as he 
has fought the fight, finished the course, kept 
the faith. What will it be to be there? 
Death behind, judgment over; God near us, 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAIy 113 

with us forever, and Christ our King visible 
in all His glory. 

''Eternal Father, in thy presence is fulness 
of joy. At Thy right hand are pleasures 
forever more." 



Hymn 

Yes, the Valley of the Shadow 

Has its earth side, dark and drear ; 
With its terrors all too fearful, 

For the human heart to bear ; 
But its skies are scarcely darken'd 

To the light of earthly love, 
When through rifted clouds comes streaming, 

All the glory from above. 

And when earthly friends are weeping, 

When the body lifeless lies ; 
Then the angels greet us welcome 

To the home beyond the skies ; 
And to meet with Christ, the Saviour, 

In that holy, happy place ; 
Oh ! what tongue can tell the gladness, 

When we first behold His face. 

Just beyond the darksome valley 
Is the Home-land of the King, 



114 FOR CHURCH 

Where to founts of living waters 
All His ransomed He will bring; 

Where through pastures green He leads 
them, 
Where the flowers never die, 

While He wipes the drops of sorrow 
From each weeping tear-dimmed eye. 

Where no grave will mar the beauty 

Of the blooming fields of love, 
And no storm-clouds ever gather 

O'er the sun-lit skies above ; 
Where the friends of earth, here parted, 

In its light will meet at last, 
And will sing in strains exultant 

That the night of death is past. 

We will be with Christ forever, 

With the everlasting One, 
And will reign in glory with Him 

On His rain-bow circled throne; 
And to be with Christ is better 

Than a Paradise on earth, 
Though each day that flitted o'er us 

Still could give it added worth. 

For I know, if He would give me 

But the lowest seat of all, 
I would kiss His feet with rapture, 



A LECTIONARY AND HYMNAL 115 

As before Him I would fall ; 
And one word, one glance of welcome 

From my loving, dearest Lord, 
Though I lived through endless ages, 

Would unending bliss afford. 

Even here, as in a mirror, 

As we gaze upon the Lord, 
We are changed into His image 

By His Spirit and His word ; 
And the sleep of death is nothing 

To the joy which shall abide, 
When we wake beyond its shadows, 

In His likeness satisfied. 



So my heart is ever thirsting, 

In His presence to appear ; 
Who, far dearer than His blessings, 

Is Himself to me most dear ; 
And the very fire of heaven 

Through my heart would throb and burn, 
If I could, for all He gave me, 

Still a hundred fold return. 



NOV 28 1900 



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